Samurai Jack and the Gift of Aku
by Shadow Rune
Summary: Jack stumbles across an unpalatable revelation when he rescues another of Aku's 'victims'
1. Legacy of Fire

Samurai Jack is the property of Genndy Tartakovsky / Cartoon Network - no infringement of copyright is intended.

**Samurai Jack and the Gift of Aku**

**1: Legacy of Fire**

Silence.

Evening sunlight fell through barred clouds to the valley below in stripes of pale gold, lighting up the landscape and softening the jagged teeth of countless broken rocks with its honeyed tones. It flashed as it touched the surface of the river that churned restlessly down its time-worn channel, worming through its narrow chasm and filling the valley with gently dancing points of light. Flashed again as it touched the metal of weapons, chains and harnesses.

Silence. No bird called, and no insect hummed its weary homeward path across the deserted landscape. As the setting sun sank slowly to rest it dragged the golden light tenderly down the flat planes of rock that rose in towering cliffs above the valley until finally, before sinking from sight for the day it flashed again. Glittering bright as it caught the dove-coloured robe worn by the man who lay pressed flat, face down and motionless, hidden amongst the rocks.

Jack shivered slightly as the evening breeze stirred through the canyon. His unwavering black eyes were fixed on the dancing orange flame of a campfire set below him on the valley floor and he lay contemplating its possibilities. The breeze returned to torment him afresh, bringing with it the scent of food from the fire and causing his empty stomach to contract and growl.

Nervously he slid down from his lookout perch, and hidden in the lee of the boulders internally debated his next move. He was hungry - that was the undeniable truth for he had not eaten since the previous evening; and although he was perfectly capable of rising above his hunger, of denying his body's own demands - at least for a time - still the glow of the campfire pulled enticingly at him. Furthermore there was of course the question of information. For long days he had wandered through this stricken land, searching - always searching - and the opportunity to gain knowledge of his surroundings should perhaps, not be overlooked.

He had been watching the activity below for over an hour yet had still to come to a final decision. Although he was experienced enough now in this land to realise that appearance was not always as it seemed _- Aku in his many guises has taught me that_ - the people who now held his gaze neither looked nor felt to him to be in league with evil, and yet ... And yet still he did not move down towards them, held instead by an inner voice that commanded he wait and be sure. Overhead the first stars of evening pricked through the darkening sky and Jack's eyes narrowed, squinting into the twilight as he searched the figures for any betraying signs.

Oblivious to his scrutiny they busied themselves about their makeshift camp. They looked to be nomads of some sort, a ragged bunch of men dressed in an ill assortment of cloaks and skins. Eagerly, they clustered about their over-laden wagon, unloading tents and bed-rolls and returning briefly to inspect the contents of the gently bubbling cooking pot, while released from the shafts two weary-looking beasts wandered down to the shallows to drink. Further off, a large heap of tinder was being piled up around a long-dead tree whose twisted outline stood stark and alone in a small bowl-shaped depression in the rocks lined with ragged thorn bushes.

As Jack watched, two of the party dragged bundles of brushwood and larger branches from the wagon and heaped them about the tree. Only when the wagon was empty did they cease their labour and lighting twin torches from the cooking fire, returned to stand sentinel on either side of the ancient trunk, their bodies blending into the dusk though their flames stood out starkly in the gloom.

Jack finally came to his decision - he would approach the men, and if they proved friendly ask to be granted the favour of rest, a meal and possibly any knowledge they might hold that could aid his quest.

_And if they prove hostile?_ His thoughts rebuked him sharply.

Jack gritted his teeth._ Then darkness will be my cover_.

* * *

Keeping to the shadows, his senses alert for any sudden movement or sound from the camp below, he began to edge his way over the rocks towards the valley floor. His feet made no sound on the dusty pathway, his breath light in his mouth, as always wholly at one with his surroundings. Moments later however his concentration broke and his head snapped up as below him rough voices suddenly erupted into babbling clamour, reaching his ears together with the unmistakable ringing note of a weapon being drawn. Despite himself he spun round defensively and in doing so disturbed two roosting birds that burst from cover at his feet with their wings clapping noisily, betraying his position.

Had the nomads seen him? _Impossible!_ Instinctively Jack's fingers closed about the hilt of his ancient blade and catlike, he leapt lightly up onto a large smooth boulder, adrenalin pounding quickly through his veins in preparation to fight should the strangers now come forth and threaten him.

But they were not threatening him. In fact they were not even looking at him though he stood plainly visible now on the rocks above their camp. Instead their whole attention was focused upon one of their number, an old and wizened man, who came tottering forward out of a ragged tent, leading a smaller cloaked and hooded figure who was flanked by two more blunt-featured torch bearers carrying short-handled stabbing knives. Jack's eyes followed their movement as the group approached the dead tree.

_Have I stumbled upon some strange initiation rite?_

Upon reaching the tortured shadow of the tree, the smaller figure was roughly thrust to its knees and its twine-lashed wrists unbound. The old man teetered forwards, waving a slender wooden staff slowly above the bowed head, his cracked voice rising and falling in urgent intonation.

As if in instant response, a cold wind gyred up out of nowhere, buffeting Jack's pale robes about him and his eyes sprung wide as the same blast tugged the hood from the kneeling figure's head and thick black ropes of hair whipped free in the breeze. Ignoring this, the torch-bearers dragged the woman back to her feet, and as her head came up she suddenly saw the twisted tree above her and let out a wordless moan of fear. Only now did she try to resist her captors, wriggling free of their clinging grip only to be hauled forwards again amidst shouts and obscene laughter. Again she resisted - flinging herself backwards, away from the tree, scrabbling desperately on hands and knees between their legs, rolling over and darting from their outstretched hands; somehow she gained her feet and began to run.

She did not get far. Smiling sadly, the old man stretched out a withered arm, his lips constantly moving as he pointed with the staff, and abruptly she soundlessly collapsed, her body curling into a ball of pain as though stabbed. The men sauntered over and picked the woman up, dragging her forwards again and roughly bound her fast by wrists and waist to the blackened trunk of the tree, as the old man continued to chant over her.

Jack gaped as horrified revelation swept through him. _This was no initiation this was a sacrifice!_

Seconds later, void of all other emotion than outrage, he was sprinting along the narrow path to the camp below.

Tied helpless to the tree now, the woman's face was half-hidden in shadows and her eyes were closed though her chest continued to jump as frightened breaths exploded between her teeth together with soft low moans. _'Stop, ... Stop, please. You don't understand what will happen to you -'._

Her captors remained utterly expressionless - oblivious to her pleas.

At a signal from their elder the four men holding the torches stepped suddenly forwards, their eyes might have been holes bored into the silent rockface as with the rising moon's first pale touch upon the tortured tree they slowly dipped and lowered their flames to the pyre.

The dry wood caught in seconds - blazing orange light flaring vividly around the bowl, throwing garish shadows twisting up the valley walls as voices rang out above the crackle of the flames, raised in spite and mockery. Quickly, the brush piled around the woman's feet took flame and huge scarlet sparks burst from the heart of the tree she was bound to, scattering on the breeze like flaming rain as the sharp smell of burning resin cut through the clean night air in cloying drifts. Choking roils of dark smoke billowed up into the night sky and amidst them the woman flexed vainly against the cords that held her, ignoring the pain as they cut deeply into her wrists. Through the smoke and haze her lower body seemed suddenly to twist and flow, moving like liquid as she desperately thrashed for freedom and seeing this the men ceased laughing . With terror on their faces they approached the blaze, ignoring the scorching heat on their skin to risk flinging yet more brands upon the fire and watching in satisfaction as the flames roared greedily in return, licking higher at the tree, curling about their captive's thighs.

Abruptly she ceased to struggle and arching her back in anguish screamed instead, a sobbing, wailing cry that cut knifelike through the roar of the flames to the sinews of Jack's heart as he landed soundlessly, sword drawn, in the centre of the group.

A heartbeat's pause and she screamed again, the final syllable hanging in the thick air like pain incarnate, _'Curse you Akuuuuuuuuuu -'_

Jack did not wait to hear more. Already two of the group were lumbering towards him holding aloft flaming torches, their short stabbing weapons aimed ready to slash and the others were forming a ring about them - hedging him in. He swung his sword in a wide arc, trying to give himself some room to manoeuvre aware all the while that if he did not act fast, the woman would soon be beyond his help. Feinting quickly to the right he lured the two torch bearers into a false attack, neatly lopping off the heads of their brands on his return arc, a quick, savage slap with the flat of the blade had them on their knees.

A dagger flashed out of the dark, snicking his ankle before embedding itself in the ground at his feet and he dived to the left, rolling quickly away and coming up on his feet before clearing a path for himself with the sword, up and out of the fire-bowl. As one, the men mindlessly followed and turning quickly he was able to spring backwards over them, snatching one of the remaining torches as he landed. Quickly he ignited the desiccated thorn trees that lined the lip of the bowl behind him - trapping himself and the woman within the blazing ring whilst leaving the clamouring nomads stranded on the other side.

Gasping for breath Jack turned and strode down towards the now-blazing tree. Stones aimed skilfully out of the darkness whizzed past his head and clattered on the rocks about him, one struck him hard on the shoulder blade but he refused to acknowledge the pain, his whole attention now focused on freeing the woman. Using the sword again he thrust the burning branches aside, struggling to clear a safe path to the tree. Thick plumes of smoke and ash clouded his vision, speckling his face and robes with black. Setting his teeth he pushed forwards again, the heat was incredible - how could she still live?

And yet live she did for he could hear her screaming above the roar of the fire. Gasping for air he wiped savagely at his watering eyes, did they deceive him? For a split second through the blackening haze he imagined he saw her body shimmer and twist though the cords still held her.

_Aku?_

For a heartstopping moment Jack's blood ran like ice and he felt the jaws of a trap closing about him but then she screamed again and the vision vanished _- this was not Aku._

Flicking away more burning wood he finally met her eyes and as his throat was now too parched to speak tried to convey with them sympathy, determination and the fact that he would not let her die like this. In return her response was not as he expected for reading his intentions her eyes widened suddenly in fresh terror and she began to struggle harder than ever, panting with effort and twisting herself savagely against the now-smouldering cords, her voice reached him drenched in fear _'No, Akuuuuuuuuuu ... please...'_

Ignoring her reaction towards him and with hot pain now shooting up his legs from his near-scorching robe Jack lashed out, neatly severing her bonds, and feeling the fire beginning to singe his eyebrows as his arms closed about her waist, flipped her neatly across his shoulder. She had no more time to cry out or struggle. Coughing on the thick smoke he leapt back from the tree and dodging the flying stones and other missiles flung by the enraged nomads, jogged quickly up the side of the bowl, kicking a path through the burning thorn bushes. Determination was written on every plane of his face, as out of the darkness the enchanted sword flashed, once, twice and twice again with wounded men toppling screaming in its wake - _the path ahead was suddenly clear._

With the woman still hefted, sobbing across his back, Jack took a deep breath and with the last of his failing strength began to sprint back along the floor of the valley. Behind him the flames of the pyre climbed higher, finally consuming the ancient tree and throwing mocking shadows of orange and black about his feet and across the towering cliffs as he ran, fanned in the rapidly rising gale to a whipping frenzy that echoed with hysterical demonic laughter.

**end of # 1**


	2. The Price of Devotion

**Samurai Jack and the Gift of Aku**

**2: The Price of Devotion**

Jack ran until his strength failed, until his lungs burned for respite and until he knew that if he took three more paces he would collapse face down on the stony track and be unable to defend either himself or the woman. He glanced about him, waiting for his heart to stop crashing beneath his ribs, and standing still on aching legs, surveyed his surroundings. He stood on the shore of a wide shallow lake that glittered in the faint, cool moonlight.

His dark eyes swept the landscape, a long curving sandbar stretched away from him into the darkness and far away now in the valley behind him, only the palest hint and glow of orange could be seen against the faint black outlines of the distant hills. No sounds of pursuit floated back to him on the night breeze and his breath came out in a satisfied sigh, for a while at least he could assume that they were safe.

A dull moan reached his ears and it took him several seconds to realise he still clasped the woman across his shoulder for his arm had long since become deadened by the burden. Awareness began to slowly return to his muscles, leaving him wincing with cramp as he dropped her gently to the ground and lay her on her side in the sand.

Flexing his aching shoulders he left her where she lay and went down to the water, its embrace cool and soft about his tired feet and bending he scooped up a double handful, splashing his soot-spotted face and gratefully swallowing the clean cool liquid. There was no movement from the woman and so he slipped the robe from his shoulders and scrubbed it hard against the small boulders that edged the lake, trying to rinse out the marks left by the fire and the stench of smoke. He waded deeper and bathed, wincing at the water's chill touch for his skin was scorched and sore in places yet there was nothing he could do to help himself for he carried no pack, no medication. Pulling the robe back on he shivered as its damp touch permeated his flesh and set him shivering afresh as the long cool night stretched ahead of him. Jack lowered his face, this would not do. Quietly he picked his way along the shoreline to look for driftwood.

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­His robe dried quickly in the cheerful firelight and sitting in the warmth with his knees hugged to his chest Jack began to drowse as time slipped slowly by, lulled by the echo of soft waves breaking upon the lake's shore. As he slept the stars wheeled slowly overhead and eventually hunger returned, gnawing at his stomach with blunt teeth that this time would not be denied. Wearily he got back to his feet and walked along the edge of the sandbar, examining the small trees that grew there and managing to find some stunted fruit still hanging on the wind-scoured branches.

Biting into a wrinkled apple he returned to the fire only for movement caught in his peripheral vision to send his senses back to full alert and dropping the fruit he whirled about. Squinting into the gloom he saw a dark figure flit down to the water's edge and stoop low to drink. Sparkling droplets caught in the moonlight and fell back to the silent lake and then the figure dropped to its knees in the shallows and the unmistakable sound of hushed sobbing reached him through the night air. Jack sighed, and picking up the discarded fruit walked slowly down to meet the woman he had rescued from the nomads. But when he reached the spot where she had knelt she was no longer there.

Puzzled, Jack stood staring out across the lake, wondering if the woman had been foolish enough to wade out to swim. Seconds later a sharp pain struck him across the left cheek and he staggered back, bringing up his hand and staring in shock at the blood on his fingers. Before he could react she struck him twice again, this time the blows falling across his raised forearm, the small sharp piece of flint she wielded raising scarlet stripes on his skin.

_That hurt._

Before she could attack him again Jack twisted his body out of reach, somersaulting neatly over the sand and landing behind her in a defensive crouch. Some instinct told him not to draw his sword and so he grabbed for her arms instead but she in turn tried to curve herself out of reach and off balance they splashed together thigh-deep into the chill lake. Jack heard her gasp at the water's cold touch and catching her off guard quickly wrapped his arms about her waist, pinning her before she could elude him again, but feeling his grip she desperately threw herself forwards, trying to pull free but instead dragging them both underwater.

Their heads broke the surface in unison and seconds later Jack was scrabbling backwards out of the lake in panic for under the surface he knew he had distinctly felt her body changing shape beneath his grip although her form remained undeniably human.

Staggering to his feet, wiping hair from his eyes, he wrenched the sword free and with his sodden robe clinging about his legs strode back into the water, black eyes blazing as wide-eyed, bedraggled and choking up water she tried to crawl backwards away from him. Fuelled with cold anger, Jack leapt after her and catching her by the forearm dragged her out and along the sandbar to where a large lone rock pointed a solitary finger to the midnight sky. He flung her back against its smooth side and brought up the sword two-handed, his voice dark and husky in the moonlight.

'Aku, if this is another of your accursed tricks then know now that it shall also be your last, for I have sworn to destroy you.'

The tip of the ancient blade pressed sharp on the soft hollow between the woman's collarbones but she did not speak, merely held his eyes as though transfixed. Seconds slipped over them yet no malice-coated voice taunted him, no flaming-eyed demon erupted from her form to mock him and as he stared back at her Jack suddenly felt a great tide of relief flood through him as though a dark veil had been lifted from his mind. No,_ this was not Aku_, and as his anger evaporated he lessened the pressure on her throat, dropping one hand although he did not as yet lower the sword entirely.

The last of the dark mist lifted from his eyes and he blinked in the pale moonglow, staring at his adversary with frank curiosity for he had never seen a woman of her like before. Clad in the simplest robe of plain dark grey with her eyes barely reaching the level of his shoulder she looked tiny and yet she radiated _something_, an undefinable power that crackled like static along the edges of his perception. He looked at her again more carefully, she was _lovely_ - almost to the point of her beauty being unnatural - too much for any one form to contain. It lit her from within _- and yet it felt wrong -_ filling her to the point of mockery for how could such symmetry, such perfection exist in one single form? Liquid, dark-lashed amber eyes, a slim straight nose and a curving rose-coloured mouth set in a heart-shaped tawny-coloured face bound by rippling waves of coal-bright hair shot through with strands of brilliant red and green. _Innocence marbled through with corruption._ Without glancing lower some part of him already knew her body was supple and strong, her form an invitation to clasp and caress...

Jack shuddered as bright pain danced across his eyes and his fingers tightened on the sword again, she was _wrong_. Something about her was deeply unnatural but he couldn't quite place what it was until he tore his gaze away from hers and there caught in the edge of his vision he found it. A barely discernible lambent shimmer like a halo about her, invisible if you looked at her directly but there all the same like a blur across his sight.

By narrowing his eyes he found he could look at her directly without too much pain building behind his temples and so sheathing his sword he reached out and tilted her chin instead, raising her lowered gaze to his. He swallowed, even though part of him understood - even suspected what she would soon no doubt tell him - his voice remained firm, leaving no room for argument. 'I know now that you are not Aku and I apologise for my conduct. But even so I am still wary for this land is strange to me and it is clear that you are no ordinary wanderer. Perhaps the time has come then for you to tell me who you are.'

* * *

'My name is Mir.'

She sat opposite Jack with her legs drawn up beneath her, staring into the blaze of the campfire with wide unseeing eyes. Her voice was a murmur almost lost in the dark, 'I thank you for saving me from the men of the valley, although unbeknown to you the threat was not as it seems...' her eyes met his briefly, 'As it is also with me.'

Jack smiled gently across the softly crackling wood; 'I could not leave you to die like that -'

'It was not as it seems!' Her voice cut across his, suddenly harsh in the darkness before it broke, falling back into husky softness, her eyes returned to the fire, 'I can not die.'

'How can this be?' the word were out before he could stop himself, 'Has Aku afflicted you too?'

She ignored him, raising her face to the night sky, speaking to the cold stars overhead as slow shadows crept from the hem of her robe, twining slowly about her on the sand. 'I am cursed and thus I cannot die. When I was young my people flourished, we lived in small villages in a valley that rang with joy and laughter and the wisdom of our ancestors was the keystone to our life. To my great joy, in my sixteenth year I was selected to train as apprentice to the village elder, a position of great honour for the elder was a healer, a wise-woman. Under her guidance I studied first the healing arts and then the small magics on my path to fulfilment and taking up my duty to my people.'

'But I was not content. My every hour was now consumed with faith and learning; with endless study and unquestioning devotion to my task whilst around me I saw my childhood friends blossoming to womanhood, laughing under the sun and stars, choosing their husbands, dreaming of their futures as I pored over my books alone. In time I grew dark and jealous and so I went to my mistress and begged her to release me from my bond. But she refused - telling me that I had set foot upon the mystic path and could not easily turn aside. In accepting her wisdom I had divided myself from my people, renounced love, wealth and power and should I now show desire for these things I should be cast from their presence forever...'

Her eyes brimmed then closed and Jack could see fat tears sliding down her cheek, shining in the moonlight. Her voice faltered on again, 'And so in my anger and my bitterness I threw myself into studying as never before, exceeding the wise-woman's expectations, forcing her hand and letting her believe I was ready for greater magics than I knew in my heart to be true. And so I came to study the deeper mystic arts on the eve of my eighteenth birthday.'

'Two weeks later, alone in the valley gathering herbs I heard faint cries for help and following the sound I found a man, a stranger to our valley lying beneath a rock fall with his ankle crushed. Unquestioning, I took him back to my lodging with the wise-woman and set about using my powers to heal him for I could see that he was not like the men of my valley, but different - alive with secrecy, power and dark, dark beauty. He filled my heart with scorching love.'

Jack shifted uncomfortably, aware suddenly of a prickling along his spine as Mir went on, tears wet on her face as memories crowded in against her. 'My mistress was uneasy with the stranger's presence but nevertheless the custom of hospitality was one we could not lightly cast aside and so he was made welcome under our roof. Two days later my mistress had sudden business elsewhere in the valley - a rare occurrence in summer - and thus we were left alone.

In the days that followed we talked for hours about the valley, its people and its business, I showed him all I knew of life and he devoured it eagerly. I revealed to him the secrets of my world, the customs of my people and the pathways of my heart and together we read from ancient books long hidden in darkness by my mistress. For the first time in many long moons I felt at peace, until he announced that through my skill he was healed and would soon be gone from me.'

'On the day he left the valley I wept unashamed and begged him to return to me soon, pouring out my heart and confessing my love for him until finally he smiled at me, _'Yes, I will return. As a measure of your love, wait at the hidden falls two moons from now and then, as the new moon rises, if you are true to me, I will come back for you I swear it.' '_

'I wept because I did not believe him but I had no choice but to agree, for although he knew openly of my love for him, still he had not returned it. Thus as the days alone passed slowly by I grew distraught with the notion of the empty life that lay ahead without him and in my despair secretly returned to my mistresses' darkest books. I knew that what I did was wrong but in the endless hours of night alone, I mixed a potion, a spell that would - I hoped - make him fall in love with me, and into it I poured all the love I felt for him. _The very essence of my soul_.' Her eyes met Jack's unflinchingly, 'Whilst unbeknown to me he read my mind, my simple desire ... and was amused.'

'And so finally came the night of the new moon and as evening settled over the valley I gathered my meagre possessions and slipped quietly away. It was a time of peace in the land, we set no guard about our homes and so my escape went unnoticed but as I made my way through narrow paths down to the hidden waterfall I became aware of a growing oppression in the air. A terrible weight that seemed to press down from the sky even as the first rolls of thunder washed over me. But this was no summer storm - for as I turned back to view my lifelong home I saw with horror that the whole valley was now aflame, shrouded in smoke and crimson fire and within the glow a tall figure raised its arms in horrible celebration. I did not know what to do - panic took me and I ran. Ran away from my home, away from those I might have helped, ran until at last I reached the secret place and there, hidden in shadow I waited, sobbing as the sky to the east turned the colour of blood. Shaking, for I knew not what had brought this ruin upon us...'

'Mir, you do not have to tell me more.' Seeing her distress Jack rose to tend the fire, trying to drive back the darkness that welled out of her eyes. "I know who destroyed your valley, I can see where your tale is leading, you do not need to name him. I know him too - we each have suffered under his tyranny-'

'No, no,' again she cut him short, hugging her arms about her slim form, 'you _do_ _not _know ... you _can not_ imagine.' With her wide dilated eyes fixed on Jack's she finally found strength to continue...

'Long I stood there as the sky turned red and the wind brought the smell of burning to my lips, long I knelt on the ground and cried, asking why I had been spared my peoples' fate. Long I wept until finally I remembered my pledge and turning I beheld the new moon rise slowly above the faraway mountains and realised I was no longer alone for the man I loved stepped silently from the tree line and weeping, I ran to him.

'Indeed you are true to me.' His voice held not the tender tone I recalled but I cared not, all that mattered to me was that he was here and as he took me in his arms I felt my love for him ignite like flame as if I myself had taken my own potion.

_'Do you love me?'_ his voice caressed me out of the dark,

'With my heart, my soul, my very life' I answered.

_'But you do not truly know me, perhaps if I was to show you my true face your love would wither to dust?_'

Still I clung to him whispering, 'Even if you were disfigured, scarred by blight or illness still I would love you'.

A third time his dark voice questioned my fidelity, _'And will you always love me, honour me, obey me, forsaking even your own free will?'_

I half-closed my eyes, watching the moon suddenly vanish behind a bank of thick cloud, leaving us enfolded in tender darkness. Lulled by a torpor I couldn't resist my lips shaped the final response, 'Always will I love you. I give myself to you.' The words seemed so familiar and yet I couldn't place them.

_And then I remembered._

Mir's eyes snapped wide as the phial around her neck suddenly shattered, splashing the magical liquid across her face and that of the man who still held her tight against his breast. She remembered, _she remembered_ - together they had uttered the invocation first read in her mistresses' dark book. No mere vow, a commitment of souls..._a trap._

_'Perhaps the time has come to show you my true face.'_

Before she could take another breath the form beneath her hands seemed to ripple and twist, suddenly growing, surging upwards with a force that sent her sprawling backwards upon the turf. The man she loved was lost forever and in his place, towering above her rose a black and menacing shape, its claw-tipped arms raised to the stars in triumph - the monster who she realised with sudden terrifying clarity, had destroyed her home and now come back to claim her. Self proclaimed overlord of her world, bringer of darkness, stealer of light, wizard, tyrant and demon shapeshifter. _Aku._

Sinister laughter rained down upon her bowed head and as she watched, panting in fear the black shape settled before her, dwarfing her shaking frame. The only light in the glade now came from the flickering flames that surrounded the baleful eyes and as she waited, too shocked to move those eyes turned towards her and the demon's long hooked teeth appeared in a slow and mocking smile.

_**'Why do you weep? Do you not like the face of Aku?'**_

As his first words rolled over her, waves of heat she couldn't explain ran pulsing up her spine, rippling through every sinew, leaving her empty, aching and acutely hungry with an appetite she had never tasted before. She couldn't speak; a groan forced it way between her teeth instead.

Aku's grin widened maliciously_, __**'What you feel is the effect of your own foolish magic, soon it will consume you and you will have only yourself to thank.'**_His eyes narrowed with sudden spite, _**'Woman, did you truly hope to ensnare Aku within your pathetic web?'**_

'I ...' somehow amidst the shivering that held her nailed to the turf she found voice, 'I ... did not know it was you.'

Delighted poisonous laughter filled the sheltered hollow_, __**'Look inside your heart woman and accept the truth!' **_He grinned down at her, evil triumph flowing across his features, basking in her misery, _**' But despite your arrogant desires do not think me ungrateful. For many years I have sensed the unauthorised use of power, of magic within this valley. It is not to be tolerated but your people were careful, masters of deceit and always they eluded me, hiding their powers behind careful veils in the name of healing while secretly growing in wisdom and lore. I could not allow this to continue - but you, blinded by your own desires showed me all I needed to know to put an end to their rebellion forever.'**_

'But you destroyed the valley, burnt the houses, why couldn't you just warn them?'

Blazing light leapt up from the demon's eyes as he snarled back at her,_**'I do not warn, I act**__. __**For magic draws magic and those pathetic creatures needed to be shown that Aku alone wields enchantment in this world**_**.'**

'What has happened to my people?' her voice broke on the last word, she no longer cared if the demon should see her cry.

_**'Does that concern you? You abandoned them to their fate the day you first beheld me.'**_

She sat back on her knees, sobbing through her hands; her thoughts clouded with misery and a sublime aching that racked her frame. 'No, it's not true, its not true. You bewitched me ... you must have bewitched me -' through the thick tears she did not see him stoop and by the time she felt the black claws close about her body it was too late to struggle.

Mir gasped for breath, the sensation of the shapeshifter's touch left her senses reeling, plummeting off a precipice into velvet darkness and beyond. Flames raced through her every fibre and her blood exalted within her, alive to the exquisite taste of lust and dark power that thrummed through her flesh with the touch of his fingers upon her skin like the final connection in a circuit. She moaned, quivers running through her bones like liquid fire as through Aku's touch, the spell she had created from the very essence of her soul arced back to its fiery completion, striking home in her heart and igniting a love she knew she must either resist or die trying to. Helpless she stared into the dark flaming eyes that held her mute, alive with sensation.

Grinning, Aku set her down on a narrow tongue of stone that thrust outwards from the rock wall, placing her now on a level with his face_**. 'You wonder why I do not kill you,'**_ his voice went through her like an awl as he plucked the thoughts easily from her mind, _**'That indeed was my intention but seeing you here now, a victim of your own flawed desire amuses me. Yes foolish one, I should crush you for your arrogance, imagining your pathetic witchcraft could turn Aku's thoughts to you - I have destroyed whole townships for less.'**_

The flaming eyes narrowed, sneering with contempt, _**'But I have better plans for you than a simple death. Long have your thoughts been open to me woman and you intrigue me. Many times in the past have I made playthings of your kind but always they were innocents, weak and meagre of spirit - their corruption no challenge, but you ... you bore the seeds of darkness already within you, for it was they which drove you to try to ensnare Aku.'**_

'No! Not you, I do not - I did not know he was you-'

_**'Enough.'**_ The dark form reared over her as chill wind whipped up from the drop below, spraying her hair about her face.

_If I jump now it will all be over_.

Scornfully Aku swept the thought from her mind like a flash of steel,_**'Enough. I grow weary of your foolish denials, face the truth that is Aku. Face the truth that you have sworn to love and to obey me by your own free will. Woman, you are now and always have been utterly my slave. Confess the shadows in your heart and perhaps Aku will be merciful'**_

The wicked bone-white fangs curved above her in the darkness and suddenly revelation hit hard. She fell to her knees, it was true. _It was true_. Always a part of her had known the stranger to be more than he seemed, could sense the power, the lustful darkness in him. _And had hungered for it_. She had betrayed them all - herself, her mistress, her people - had sold them all to Aku and the only road left open to her now was the one that plunged down into flame-lit chasms of despair. She screamed, screamed from the very sinews of her soul as the demon delightedly mocked and taunted her, his laughter blending with her cries, floating back on the cool night breeze to the ruins of the desecrated valley she called home.

* * *

Panting for breath, smothered by blackness and cruel eyes lit with fire, Mir struggled gasping, back to the light, her muscles stiffening in fresh panic as she felt strong fingers stroking her temples.

'Hush, hush. Do not fight me - let me help you. You are not alone now.'

Mir opened her eyes. She lay prone on her back, her head resting in the lap of the man who hours before had pulled her from the fire and now sat cross-legged beneath her on the sand. He leaned forward, concern glistening in his dark eyes whilst he continued to gently massage her temples with his fingertips, stroking away the fear that had filled her.

'Why are you...?' her throat ached, she was almost too exhausted to speak.

Jack smiled gravely, his voice a soft murmur in the dark, 'You passed out. You were telling me of your past.'

She struggled to sit up but he placed strong hands on her shoulders, holding her firmly down. 'No, you don't understand, I'm a danger to you - please...'

His fingers returned to her temples, 'Hush, you must not be so harsh upon yourself. Aku is a master of deception, he will twist your own words to confuse you-'

His sympathy hurt her acutely. Tears suddenly welled out of nowhere, spilling from the corners of her eyes for instinctively she knew she must not deceive this man. 'But Aku did not lie. For although my own magic rebounded upon me the truth remains that my love existed _before _the night I made the spell.' More tears dripped slowly from the amber eyes that held his and she saw him set his teeth to his lower lip as the truth finally bared its heart to him as well.

She stumbled on, 'I betrayed my own people for what I believed was love. And I desired what no woman before me had ever found desirable, for knowingly or not ... I desired Aku.'

Jack's dark eyes held hers for a moment more and then he turned his face away.

* * *

Dawn breathed slowly up the sky in a flush of pink and gold and Jack woke with a start to find Mir sitting wrapped in her robe, a few yards away with her back turned towards him staring out across the wind-ruffled lake. Wiping sleep from his eyes and stretching cold muscles he rose to his feet, remembering her words in the dark, the terrible confession that sent waves of cold nausea through his belly. Yet he could not blame her, for despite her belief that she had betrayed her people, had brought this fate upon herself a part of him knew that she was just another victim of Aku's twisted domination. His hardest task now would be to get her to believe this too.

His sandalled feet made no sound on the soft fine sand as he padded over to her, squinting as the first pale rays of sun slid over the hills. From the tension in her muscles he knew full well that she was aware of his approach and so quietly he knelt alongside her and together in silence they watched the sunrise.

'Mir, what did Aku do to you?'

From the corner of his eye he saw her blink and then she turned her face to him and again he was dazzled by the perfection of her features, her voice was low and bitter, 'He did this to me. Twenty years ago.'

'I do not understand.'

She got to her feet; her eyes alight with pain and remembrance, staring at the sun as if it might bleach away her beauty. Long minutes passed and then she turned her head. 'Aku cursed me.'

_Though he called this curse his gift_.

'You see not my face but an enchantment that no one but Aku can break. I do not age, I can not die and thus I am shunned and hated by my own kind who see me as a demon, a servant of Aku. The price I paid for daring to desire was to be desirable myself _to all men_. But always their desire would be tempered with suspicion, fear and ultimately hatred for Aku has given me a face and form no earthly woman possesses. And thus they hunt me down and try to destroy me, again and again and again.' Her eyes filled with tears, 'And for every death they would give me, Aku returns to exact his revenge upon them in kind, for often they use magic which for years has been outlawed, wielded only in secrecy but through me Aku is aware of them.'

Jack remained kneeling in the sand, his face grave, 'Yes, I perceive the enchantment upon you but still I do not understand how you can be so sure that death evades you?'

'Do you think that I have not tried to take my own life?' Anger shimmered in her tone. ''No ordinary man may kill me. Aku has taken something from me... I know not what but I am no longer whole...' her voice trailed off into silence.

'But you, I feel, have taken something of Aku's in return?'

Mir seemed suddenly to crumple before Jack's eyes, folding her legs to kneel before him in the dawn light, 'Your instinct does not misguide you. Indeed, part of my suffering is brought about by my own stubborn resistance to relinquish the legacy that Aku unwittingly gave to me, for although my spell was but a pitiful thing it was strong enough to gift me a splinter of his magic-'

'The shapeshifting -'

'Yes, although the form I take is scarcely different from my own, even so it is enough.' Her brilliant eyes met his, the merest flicker of laughter dancing in their depths, 'And Aku, who is determined to ban every magic from the world, wants it back.'

'You know this?'

'Aku in his anger has returned many times to mock me, often he comes to me in my dreams.' She pushed back the sleeves of her robe, holding out her arms to Jack - countless tiny dark tattoos spiralled across the soft skin, clearly visible in the strengthening light, 'These are the marks of Aku. Placed here as I slept so that no man should love me. They instil fear in men's hearts and hatred in women's, visible evidence of the curse Aku has laid on me.'

'Mir, I must ask you one more thing. Last night when I reached you through the fire, your reaction ... forgive me but again I do not understand -'

'Why I screamed when I saw you? As I have already said, in times such as those that you witnessed Aku can somehow see through me to reach those he would destroy, I fear that the men in the valley last night have already been taken.' Her voice quivered perceptibly in her throat, 'And you, in coming to my aid have put yourself in terrible danger for now Aku will also hunt you down.'

Jack smiled grimly, his fingers caressing the decorative hilt of the sword at his waist. 'He will send his servants first.'

Ignoring him Mir got swiftly to her feet, looking out along the shoreline with her hair blowing about her like a dark halo. 'I must move on, for bad luck follows me like a pack of dogs and I would not bring my curse upon you for I owe you for saving me, Samurai Jack' She felt him flinch and turned to face him.' Yes, I know who you are, your name has been whispered to me in my dreams by Aku but although I have brought shame and dishonour to my family, I will not willingly betray you.'

'Where will you go?'

Her eyes misted, 'Home. Beyond the vale of the hidden falls I have heard there lies a system of caverns under the mountains, where hidden far beneath the earth I hope to return to the dark studies of my mistress and seek the spell that will lift the curse of Aku.'

Jack was silent, rubbing his chin thoughtfully and when he raised his face to hers again his expression was firm and set, leaving no room for refusal or argument. 'Mir, it is a dangerous journey to undertake alone. I will accompany you and perhaps together we shall find a spell that can aid us both. Let us go.'

**end of # 2**


	3. Under the Rose

**Samurai Jack and the Gift of Aku**

**3: Under the Rose**

_'It is a dangerous journey to undertake alone. I will accompany you and perhaps together we shall find a spell that can aid us both.'_

By the expression in his eyes she had known at once that she would not be able to dissuade him from accompanying her. She did not like it but Jack's tone had held no room for argument - at least _not yet_ - and so she sat a little removed from him, shivering in the morning breeze. Narrowing her eyes as she watched him gather more wind-nibbled fruit from the ancient shoreline trees, hoping to find enough to make a meagre breakfast. She did not offer to help.

Kneeling beside her, he sorted the fruit into two piles and she watched with growing resentment as he placed the better fruit - that is to say, the less wrinkled and worm-tunnelled pieces in the heap nearest to her. His head dipped a fraction and his lips moved silently before he raised dark eyes to hers again and gestured to the mound of apple-like objects.

'It is not much I know but we will both travel lighter with something in our stomachs. Please eat.'

'I am not hungry.' The response jumped obstinately between her teeth before she realised it was the truth.

Jack's eyes lowered, but if he was offended he gave no sign, instead deliberately picking up a piece of fruit from his own pile and biting into it deeply as she glowered at him. Speckles of pale juice splashed his lower lip and his tongue flicked them away as he bit again.

She watched his jaw move with mounting irritation. Why was she still sitting here with this ... this _man_? He had pulled her from a fire - which though painful could not truly harm her and in return like a child she had spilled forth her darkest secret, her love for Aku to the very one person who had sworn to destroy him. She swallowed painfully, backtracking over the previous hours, finding fault again and again in the way she had acted, the way she had spoken.

_I have walked alone too long._

It was true. For all the years she had lived under Aku's curse she had rarely found the opportunity to speak to her own kind. People shunned her, mocked her, openly abused her - or worse still, men who desired her tried to seduce her only to suddenly become aware of her taint, turning on her with shocking violence, handing her over to their wise women, their magicians or chieftains. Never did they give her a chance to explain; to warn them of the danger - _let me go, let me pass and Aku shall not find you_. Never did they heed her voice, seeing only her unnatural beauty. Never did they realise her fear was for them not herself; instead sensing only the aura of corruption that smeared the edges of their vision. She was a blight, a curse, and a scar on their land. She was in league with Aku.

Loneliness was not something she had been aware of creeping up on her over the years but now, here in the morning sunlight she felt it wrap its familiar cold pelt about her mood again. As a young woman she had always had friends, always enjoyed the company of her own kind, had laughed and wept with people she loved only to throw away all her laughter, everything she once enjoyed when she beheld the dark stranger and let him into her heart. Aku.

Aku. Now he saw that she only wept and walked alone. Through all the seasons she had been bound to him, he never once tired of tormenting her, teasing her, revelling in the unrequited desire she had brought upon herself; sometimes in her dreams holding himself just out of reach, a breath, a hope, a wish away. Fresh ripples of desire wandered through her body as she let her thoughts dwell on the demon and again dark shadows began to creep from beneath the hem of her robe, winding across the sand, twining about her ankles, softly unfurling.

Mir blinked, was it simple loneliness that had forced her unwitting to drop her defences and confess her past to Jack? She did not believe it could be only that and yet there seemed no other explanation. He was the first man for many long months that had spoken to her civilly, had touched her with kindness and in doing so had made her weak! And so now she had doubly damned herself, revealing not only her heart but her wish to return to the valley and search out her mistresses' ancient books - for with his innate goodness and honesty he had at once avowed to accompany her.

Pride stung her. Accompany yes, but in all probability to actually lead the way so that she herself would be reduced to _following_ him like any common pack animal. It was insufferable. She must revoke her friendliness - _she must._

Yes. She must put distance between herself and her unwanted companion before she further succumbed to his strange power. She could see far enough of the road ahead to know that such friction would not be hard to court for Jack would naturally try to guide her, both spiritually and physically. She narrowed her eyes, ah yes, he would attempt to persuade her that she was somehow misguided. He would tell her gently and patiently over and over that Aku was a monster and that by its very nature the shapeshifter was not capable of anything save hate. Her head throbbed. Weak. She had been weak. A soft voice, a moment's empathy and she had dropped her guard to the samurai...

But I'm only human.

_**Oh no. Not wholly human. Not any more.**_

Aku's whisper in her mind was like a cool damp feather dragged slowly, teasingly up her spine and despite her clenched teeth she heard herself groan, while in immediate response deep red bloomed thickly, suddenly, about her shadowed ankles.

Movement caught her eye and she snapped back to the present in an instant, realising that Jack had turned towards her, his left cheek still bulged out with food as he offered her a small rosy-hued fruit. She gazed at it unseeing and witnessing the pain in her eyes he swallowed hastily and leaned closer, putting down the apple and laying his hand lightly on her forearm,

'Mir?' his voice was impossibly tender, 'You do not have to be afraid. You are not alone now. Let me help you.'

She knew he would be impossible to lie to but this was too much - could he see right through her? Dashing his hand away she leapt to her feet, scarlet flooding her mind, anger mixed with pain and shame. Swiftly she kicked the remaining fruit away across the sand, crushing the pulp beneath her booted feet before whirling to spit at him through bared teeth,

'I do not need your cursed sympathy, Samurai Jack.'

_Because ... because I fear it is not enough. My love - my desire for Aku predates even his curse and Aku knows this as well as I. Even should I one day find a way to lift his spell there is no guarantee that I will not still feel this burning love and it has now become too much a part of me for me to live without it. I am already as Aku himself named me, utterly his slave._

Jack said nothing. Did nothing.

Unbalanced by his lack of reaction she spoke again, 'I neither need nor want anything of you, least of all your sympathy.'

Still Jack did not speak, his eyes held hers and they stared at each other across the few yards that now separated them, animosity flaring from Mir's while his own remained dark and expressionless as he sat on the sand.

'Why do you not draw your sword and strike? Am I not the work of Aku your sworn enemy?' Incensed she picked up a fallen apple and flung it at him with all her strength, her breath cutting in her throat as it struck him hard on the chest.

Calmly, Jack stood up to face her, his fingers caressing the hilt of the sword, which remained snug in its sheath. 'Mir, my fight is not with you, you are as much a victim of Aku as I.'

His eyes moved from her face to the spot on the sand where she had been sitting. A spot where now - impossibly - bloomed a strange yet beautiful wild rose, its verdant toothed leaves and barbed stems dark and glossy in the slanting sunlight as the blood-bright flowers lay vivid against the pale sand. 'Red roses. Aku mocks your love.' Jack's voice was void of emotion, turning any possible question on his lips into an undeniable statement.

Fury dashed across Mir's features, visible sparks scattering from the flashing aura that surrounded her face and her whole lower body shimmered like mist as though she yearned to release some terrible pent up power and to strike out and avenge herself bloodily upon him. Long moments passed as they stared each other down but she made no move to threaten him further, 'Aku -' her voice broke off suddenly and he heard the sound of hooves pattering behind him.

'Hai! Hai!' The youth in charge of the goats could scarcely have been more surprised at seeing the two strangers on the deserted beach than they were at his sudden entrance. His voice died in his throat and in the space of three heartbeats he had dropped the small pack he was carrying and vaulted away over the rocks that lined the shore, pelting through the tree line towards the shadowed foothills. His caprine charges meanwhile, unconcerned by the strangers, went quickly down to drink.

'Wait. Please wait.'

Avoiding the rosebush's clinging touch, Mir walked slowly back up the beach to stand at Jack's side, shielding her amber eyes with a slim tattooed hand. The boy had already disappeared into shadow and her voice was suddenly soft again in her throat, 'No doubt he has gone to warn the others of his village.' She smiled at Jack without humour,' Did I not tell you that trouble follows me like ravenous hunting dogs?'

Jack ignored her, stooping instead to retrieve the youth's discarded bag from which he produced a thick chunk of dark bread and a small gourd of spring-water, half-full. Tearing the bread into halves he held a piece out to Mir, 'Then we will need our strength if we are to evade your pack of dogs.' His mouth curved slightly acknowledging her defiance and also the fact that it was futile. His dark eyebrows lifted. 'Aku also deplores weakness. Eat.'

The land around them was growing slowly darker as with Jack in the lead; they picked their way along a narrow defile, following the course of a long-vanished stream between the foothills. Clouds gathered low on the horizon to the west even though it was scarcely past midday and the wind picked steadily up, throwing showers of pale dust down from the rocky slopes. There was no sign of pursuit and Jack, although as ever constantly vigilant began to relax again though his hand never strayed far from the sword hilt.

Mir followed him. Her face for all its strange tawny beauty set hard, expressionless and shadowed by her wind-whipped hair. She had not spoken since their hasty departure from the shore and finally, after several failed attempts at conversation Jack had philosophically ceased in his attempts to draw her out, reserving his energies for the journey instead. More unsettling to him now was the growing resentment that he sensed building in her as she walked behind him. Without turning he knew that her eyes were fixed on the space between his shoulder blades, his lower back, the vulnerable nape of his neck and although she was unarmed it was all he could do to stop himself glancing back to see how just closely she walked behind.

Mir knew this and it pleased her.

* * *

By mid-afternoon the clouds had overtaken them and as the sky turned leaden-grey the first rain began to fall, thick drops bouncing off the water-rounded rocks as they stumbled along the dried-out streambed. Jack's legs ached, the scorches he had received from the pyre felt tight and sore and above all else he was simply tired, longing to lose himself in dreamless sleep but with Mir behind him he couldn't, wouldn't stop though every step forward send judders through his frame, ankles, knees and spine protesting in endless succession.

The rain did nothing to ease his torment and when the defile suddenly ended against a sheer rocky wall his heart sank further for they had no choice but to backtrack or climb upwards. Whilst he was still deliberating Mir moved forwards, her large eyes scanning the rock for signs of hand and foot holds, she said nothing and as he took stock of the surroundings she began without fear or hesitation to climb.

Wandering back along the defile, Jack did not notice until she was already ten times his height up the wall. For a moment he despaired of her attitude, it was after all his place to go first, to put himself at risk and not allow her to walk into danger but Mir did not seem to care nor realise this and he knew at once that overtaking her on the wall would be both dangerous and stupid. With his mouth set in a firm line of disapproval he began to inch his way up after her, internally debating as to how he was going to tackle the situation.

Naturally he did not expect that Mir had chosen to climb ahead in order to protect him. Quite on the contrary she was doing this because she knew he would disapprove, and yet it was not wholly bad for if he led and fell he would take her with him yet if she led the chances of his catching her should she slip were good.

He wiped rain from his eyes, doubting that Mir would appreciate the sentiment or the predicament, indeed her attitude towards him had been strange and puzzling since this morning at the lake. He knew instinctively she was hurt and troubled and that she was trying to withdraw from him though just why she behaved so eluded his reasoning. He followed her progress for a few seconds more with his eyes and then began to climb doggedly after her. Whatever the truth, whatever was troubling her, he intended to find out and help as best he could.

Struggling up the sheer rock wall Mir was chilled to the bone, the wind knifed across its surface in icy streams that she could almost see. Blinded by her hair and the pelting rain she cursed herself for starting the climb first in order to still her arrogant pride. Every muscle quivered with strain and her fingers ached with the effort of hauling herself up from narrow ledge to ledge. She had long since ceased to feel her feet, her toes kicking numbly at the cold stone, scrabbling vainly to find purchase on the slick surface. She knew the climb was more than half over but now her strength was failing her rapidly

Jack sensed her fatigue. His voice reached out to her through the hiss of the wind and the slap of cold rain upon her exposed neck, 'Mir, do not falter, believe in yourself, the summit is not far.' He inched closer, attempting to shield her body with his own as the rain lashed both their faces. His voice gasped close to her ear, 'Let me help you.'

_No._ Mentally she pushed him away, he would not win her over like this, there was too much at stake. For a moment her concentration faltered, shifted and her brilliant orange eyes went wide despite the sting of the rain as she gazed fixedly upwards at the rock looming above her, so dark, so black in the rain...

The darkness towered over her, the demon towered over her, was she clinging to the rockface or did she kneel at his feet? _**Let me help you.'**_ She shivered, no longer knowing if it was Jack's words or Aku's that dropped softly into the space between her breaths. The air about her twisted, the rock beneath her fingertips sliding, shapeshifting ...

_Aku! Aku? Oh no, not here, not now..._

_**Ohhhh yes ...**_

From the thick darkness suddenly enfolding her black claws reached out, caging Mir within their sharp curves and again as always, the familiar heat spired through every sinew as the demon's breath curled about her like black mist, his words caressing her into fresh waves of desire. Light fell down upon her from the rapidly flickering flames that framed his bright eyes and as she gazed upon Aku the wicked mouth curved upwards into a sharply spiked smile that sent thrills racing through her every fibre.

_Aku. Please? Please. Stop doing this to me. I can't bear it. I can't live this way._

_**Why do you resist? You have brought this torment upon yourself. You dream of Aku, you desire Aku and yet now he holds you again in his grasp you resist. Why is that?**_

Sensing her anguish the demon's huge eyes widened with malicious pleasure, the dancing fires about his eyes leaping higher as his smile became a wide mocking grin,

_**Do you not like the face of Aku?**_

She struggled feebly in his grasp

_**Answer me woman. Do you not like the face of Aku?**_

Somehow through the veil of the unwanted vision she felt the rock's surface slick beneath her fingertips and the seductive pull of the drop even as Aku plucked the thought lazily from her mind.

_**Even if you fall I will not let you die. You are mine. Always.**_

Mir came too with a jolt, fresh green tendrils and vivid scarlet blooms were bursting from the rockface beneath her fingers, springing from the stone where her feet and body touched its cold planes, vines winding lovingly about her wrists as the rain-washed flowers' thick perfume filled her lungs. She gasped, Jack had somehow moved up the rocks until he was hanging alongside her and she shivered as his hand closed upon her wrist.

Seeing the flowers bursting from the rocks, Jack immediately understood what was happening to Mir and reaching out seized her arm. His eyes were full of anger, directed towards his ancient enemy but misreading his expression she wrenched her arm away, 'Don't touch me!'

Fierce with determination he grabbed for her again as she tried to thrust him back and crawl out of his grasp, the drop gaped below them and he felt his fingers slipping on the slick rock. Desperation fuelled his actions and with a sudden lunge he pushed away from the rock and somehow clawed himself across and over her body, pressing her to the flat surface, his voice hissed in her ear, 'Mir! Control yourself. You will send us both to our deaths.'

Crushed between his bulk and the briar covered rocks it was all she could do to turn her head to reply, 'The fall may break your back Samurai Jack but it will not harm me. I am under Aku's protection.'

Their eyes locked, separated by mere inches and steeling himself against the pain of her enchantment he forced himself to stare back at her face, his voice snarled above the moan of the wind, 'Aku _does not_ protect you, he amuses himself by tormenting you.'

'No.'

'Yes. You can not deny the truth. Mir, none of this is your fault. Aku is wholly evil.'

Her eyes narrowed and a sharp spike lit his skull, making him wince in pain, her voice was suddenly quieter, 'Do not speak of Aku this way.'

'Mir, it is the truth.'

Suddenly her eyes filled with tears and then angrily she turned her face away, he had to strain to hear her words, 'It hurts me when you speak of Aku this way.'

He could only gape as seconds later she surged beneath him and began to climb rapidly up the cliff, her feet slipping again and again on the rough surface. Harsh sobs floated back to him on the chill breeze. Twice the ledge beneath her fingertips crumbled to dust and she slithered downwards, somehow always hanging on by her remaining hand and something in the rigidity of her spine told him not to overtake her again. Finally her fingers curled over the topmost rock and with her last strength she heaved her forearms up onto the flat surface, her head sinking onto her wrists. The wind had dried the tears from her cheeks but their pale trails stood out plainly on her dust-covered skin.

Careful to keep his distance Jack followed her up the rock and bracing his palms on the flat summit pulled his weary body to safety. Mir made no move to pull herself up but remained with her body hanging over the void, watching him dully as he stood looking down at her with sympathy radiating from his black eyes. Finally her gaze dropped and a deep flush of shame coloured her face yet still she did not pull herself to safety.

Smiling, Jack gently hauled her upwards and she collapsed beside him on the flat rock, leaning against his shoulder. Tentatively he placed a reassuring hand on her arm - ready to instantly pull back should she mistake his intention - but this time she did not withdraw from his touch, still gratefully resting her weight against his body as she waited for the shaking in her limbs to stop. Finally, with both their breaths sobbing in their throats they were able to stand and gaze out across the rock-strewn landscape.

Following the stream's course back towards the now distant lake Jack noted with satisfaction that still they were not followed and a soft smile played against his lips until he followed Mir's gaze further to the north. There, on a small bald hill rising alone above the pastures burned a brilliant orange flame, unmissable against the sky's slate-grey hue.

Mir turned and met his eyes, 'The goat boy did not waste time. They have lit the beacons.' Turning again she gestured further afield where another bright flame stood vivid against the landscape and then further to the west where burned another. 'The people are alerted to our presence.'

'Then we must leave quickly.'

Grabbing her firmly by the wrist before she could resist or argue, Jack dragged Mir across the rocky outcrop and began picking his way along the faint trail that led steeply downwards into thick forest below. As they climbed down, the rocks towering behind them shut out the sun and thus they were unaware of the shadows lengthening about them until suddenly they found themselves in semi-darkness. Turning back to help Mir across a large boulder Jack felt his feet suddenly go from under him, sliding helplessly forwards on the loose scree. There was nowhere to brace himself, nothing to grab - hanging on to Mir with one hand and first skinning his palm with the other he tried to draw the sword, desperately hoping to create a brake, a wedge, anything to stop their quickening descent.

Gravity took over, bundling her hard against him so that within seconds they both lost their balance and tumbled down the jagged hillside in a tangle of limbs and shower of dust. Despite his efforts at twisting around, Mir hit the bottom first with Jack's weight full on top of her so that her breath came out in a sharp gasp. Winded and unable to speak she could only stare with wide eyes, powerless to warn him as dark shapes emerged from the surrounding rocks. One reached out and struck him hard across the back of the neck, Jack's mouth opened to say something but instead his eyes fluttered and then he fell face down upon her, a dead weight.

Trapped beneath his inert form she could only gasp as something cool and damp was pressed hard to her face, a pungent scent arose from the cloth bringing tears prickling to her eyes and an irresistible torpor. Strength and resistance flowed from her like water and as Jack was lifted from her and they were both roughly bound, sleep came upon her in dark cloying waves. Waves as soft and lulling as the firelight that flickered across her dilated eyes from the fourth beacon that until now had been hidden by the trees.

**end of # 3**


	4. Paths Divided

**Samurai Jack and the Gift of Aku**

**4: Paths Divided**

Consciousness seeped back to Mir slowly. After a time, she became dimly aware of being thrown into another small cart alongside Jack and of a long slow journey taking place where every jolt of the wooden wheels on the dust-strewn unpaved road sent spikes of pain clawing up through her bones. The sun set behind the distant hills and gratefully she felt the cool cover of darkness enfold her as she lay half-dazed waiting for the cart to stop for the night. But the people who had captured her did not stop and instead they jogged on, jostling to and fro in the crushed darkness of the tiny cart until the pain of her muscles cramping became more than Mir could bear.

Opening her eyes she saw glimpses of the people who had taken them. Half-hidden faces wrapped in cloaks crowded around the cart as they moved slowly through the twilight, many holding flaming brands aloft creating trapped shadows that danced wildly under the trees. It was utterly silent save for the creak of the cartwheels and the soft slur of many feet walking through dust, and somehow this silence was more frightening than the open scorn and ridicule she had grown accustomed to.

Mir squinted at Jack; he lay on his stomach with his arms bound cruelly wrist to elbow behind him. Blood had clotted on his lower lip and another thin trickle lay vivid on his neck, winding its way down from the dark bruise that purpled the base of his skull behind his left ear. She nudged him roughly with her knee and elicited a soft moan of response.

So the samurai lived ... she did not ask herself as yet whether or not she felt glad.

Her own hands were bound more simply before her and so bracing her restrained wrists against the floor of the cart, she struggled to sit up, blinking at the smears of light streaking across her sight. As soon as she raised her head it began to pound and immediately she cursed aloud at her weakness and ignoring the throb in her temples pushed up onto her knees, gazing over the edge of the wagon. At her appearance, the people walking beside the cart drew back in staring silence and Mir, understanding their reaction, struggled to appear neutral and non-threatening although fearing that they like all the other humans she had encountered already saw her as some demonic extension of Aku.

At the thought of the demon himself a thick wave of heat washed up her back, dilating her pupils and bringing an unbidden smile to her lips. Instantly, blood-coloured roses burst budding from the rough wooden sides of the cart beneath her fingers and as one entity the crowd leapt back, people stumbling into their comrades and shouting in panic. Many gestured at her crudely with notched knives and splayed fingers while desperately grasping at the charms and amulets that hung about their throats.

She tore the flowers up and flung them savagely away. If the people had only harboured suspicions about her appearance and purpose before the roses - she lowered her gaze from the dozens of hate-filled eyes now staring at her – well, now their fears were comfortably confirmed. Aku himself might just as well have materialised and planted her there before them before possessing her and ordering her to wreak havoc upon them all. Tears sprang to her eyes, now they would follow the usual pattern and bring ruin upon themselves, heedless of what she would say to stop them.

Jack moved against her legs, moaning softly and momentarily her thoughts scattered, what would they do to him when they found out who he was? She flopped back down into the cart, nudging him urgently with her elbows,

'Samurai ... _samurai -' _His eyes opened, briefly showing white before the dark irises rolled down, struggling to focus on her. For a split second he managed it and then lapsed into unconsciousness again. She rocked his shoulder roughly with her bound hands, 'Samurai! _Jack ... _please, you have to -'

Before she could speak to warn him further, two larger men whom she supposed by their bearing must be guards, grabbed her roughly by the upper arms and hauled her backwards to the tail of the cart. Moments later she again smelt the sickly sweet scent of the sleep-inducing herb and felt another damp cloth crushed forcefully to her face. Mir stiffened in the men's grasp, arching her back, holding her breath, doing all she could to keep alert but they were relentless and experienced. It was not until she fell limply back onto the slats beside Jack's slack and dreaming face that they removed the rag from her nose and left her to the nightmares which as always fell swiftly, eagerly upon her.

* * *

Sweat prickled her brow and although she knew this was no normal dream - indeed it had been many long years since she had dreamed as others do - still she succumbed to its embrace instead of fighting.

Again she stood in the moonlit valley in the arms of the man she loved, the man she had given herself to of her own freewill

_The man who was a demon. The man who was Aku._

And although she knew exactly who he was, still she spoke her vow, invoked the spell that bound her to him, felt him smile, felt his body shifting beneath her touch, felt her love ignite for him. Aku.

_No! He is evil ..._

Unexpectedly an image of Jack's stern mien flashed through her dreaming mind and caught off-guard she pushed herself backwards away from the shapeshifter with a gasp. Scant seconds later she was stumbling across the pebble-strewn shore of moonlit lake lake although she knew only moments before she had stood in the valley below her village. Mocking laughter bubbled up behind her from the dark waters as she ran and a sinuous tentacle curled lazily out from the lake, winding tight about her waist before pulling her down hard onto her back on the shingle beach and dragging her into the shallows. Mir screamed - she couldn't stop herself - and revelling in her panic, Aku's dark shape burst up from beneath the surface of the lake, his mouth wide with laughter as the pure water cascaded off his sleek form to fall around her like a rainstorm.

_**'Ah my pretty plaything, Aku has been thinking upon how he should you reward you if you please him.'**_

Before she could move or reply the demon was upon her, pouncing suddenly out of the darkness a shape blacker than the night itself. He pinned her heavily down in the shallow waters, his body flowing easily about her, twining possessively around arms, legs and waist. Mir - her fleeting terrors instantly forgotten, submitted gladly to the embrace. Her long hair fanning out behind her in the rippling waters as wisps of steam rose eerily from the lake's dark surface, illuminated by fractured moonlight and the blazing fires dancing above the demon's eyes that were now mirrored in her own.

She couldn't move - she didn't want to - to be touched by Aku like this was enough. Delicious tendrils of pleasure unfurled agonisingly slowly throughout her body, this was so different from the heat and the lust that always consumed her at his presence and at the thought of him, that familiar searing freefall into rushing darkness, that she had no response to give. Usually Aku mocked her, scorned her, and seared her with his laughter and endless taunts so that now, faced with this new approach she was thrown even further out of her depth.

_**'Well? What would you ask of Aku if he chose to give you anything you desired?'**_

_'Aku ...' _it came out as the merest whisper from her tilted throat but the demon heard and his lips curved upwards, mocking her as he tightened his grip.

_**'Woman, you have seen my enemy the samurai, if Aku should command it of you would you betray him?'**_

For long agonising seconds the sensations running through her body doubled in their intensity, she gasped for breath, closing her eyes and clinging to the shapeshifter's touch with her senses before he withdrew them.

_**'The samurai. Would you tempt him? Bring about the ruin of his honour as well as his destruction. For Aku's amusement?'**_

She turned her face away, closing her eyes. 'No no, not that. Please. I can not, _will _not tempt him. Do not ask this of me.'

Black claws cupped her chin, turning her face back to his though her eyes remained tight shut. Aku's voice came again, mock-tenderness edged with spite,_**'Ahhh rebellious one, do you think that you have a choice? If Aku commands you to do this thing then you will obey for Aku is and always shall be your master.'**_

There was a second's pause and then the shapeshifter began to flow and reform, still wrapped about her. Feeling the change in her captor, Mir opened her eyes only to behold Jack now astride her hips as the cold lake - so suddenly icy - lapped wetly at her neck. Waves broke softly on the empty shoreline and her amber eyes went wide, 'Aku? Aku - no! Please -'

Jack's lips parted in a sneer as he leaned forward, pinning her wrists underwater, when he spoke it was in the voice of Aku, notes of the demon's familiar contempt echoing under the silky tone_. __**'I am pleased by your distaste in this pathetic form woman, but it does not excuse you from this task should I wish to command it of you**_**.'**

'I will not do it. Oh... oh please do not make me! You _can not_ make me.' She bucked beneath his form, trying to dislodge him yet all the while knowing it was futile. Seeing his widening grin she froze, realising once again that she had delivered herself perfectly into his hands. Jack's hand left her wrist and caught her hard by the jaw, one corner of his mouth tilting up into a lascivious leer.

_**'Can I not?'**_ He flung back his head and laughed as she struggled beneath him before gripping her again and, bending closer, dragged his tongue firmly and slowly up her face from jaw to eyebrow before crushing a hard relentless kiss to her mouth, enjoying the panic and revulsion he felt flooding through. His face drew back a little, smiling. _**'No, Aku will not ask this task of you but he will teach you the error of your ways instead. Ah, if you think foolish one, that your master can not make you do things that you do not wish to do, then you will find that you do not know him at all.'**_

Pinning her arms, Jack dipped forwards and kissed her hard again, bruising her lips. Mir froze beneath his touch, tears dripping freely from the corners of her eyes for it was not enough ... _not enough_ to know, to tell herself that this was _still _Aku albeit in warped and tainted camouflage. A sob caught in the back of her throat as Jack's hands moved swiftly down, opening and then sliding beneath her robe, she could do nothing but submit to his touch and somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the demon laughing.

* * *

Jack struggled painfully back to consciousness as they dragged him from the cart and dumped him in a fire-lit clearing. Aching all over he finally found his balance and managed to get up onto his knees, weaving slightly as his head pounded with nausea. Seconds later he wished he had remained on the ground as half a dozen ragged women, their eyes a mixture of fear and hate, pressed forward from the crowd. Amidst a flurry of guttural curses, one pulled his head back by the hair, arching his throat as another spat full in his face. Jack gave no visible reaction to this insult and the women - disappointed and out for bloody satisfaction - moved in with purpose. He was buffeted to the ground as they fell upon him scratching, clawing and digging at him with long dirty nails, pulling his hair and slapping at his face, pinching and twisting his skin with spiteful glee.

'Leave him.' As quickly as it had begun, the punishment stopped and the women retreated to stand about him in a semi-circle, their eyes on the one who had spoken.

Looking up through his dishevelled hair and smarting eyes Jack beheld the chief of his capturers, a slim-built woman of indeterminate age whose water-coloured stare now rested upon him. From her high forehead plumes of snow white hair fell thickly to her waist and more lay coiled elaborately upon her head. Her skin was deeply lined and tanned and yet she did not carry herself like an elder, moving instead with the fluid ease and grace of a maiden, her muscles still taut and strong. She wore no ornament save a narrow circlet of copper-coloured metal upon her brow while pouches and amulets dangled from a similarly coloured girdle about her waist which neatly bisected the moss-green leggings and over-shirt that clothed her frame. A darker-coloured cloak, woven with arcane symbols fell swishing about her ankles as she moved forward.

A rough-skinned hand reached out, catching him by the jaw and holding him firmly as he knelt, turning his face on way and then the other as she observed him in grim and contemplative silence. Abruptly she let him go and a slow smile creased the lined face, 'We are indeed fortunate, this is truly the man whose face stares out at us from the walls of the city. Lord Aku will reward us for our vigilance. Take him to the holding cell.'

The women surged eagerly forwards again

'Wait.' Ducking to avoid their grasp, Jack - his arms still bound - shuffled forwards on his knees, 'Please, do with me as you will but I beg you do not harm my companion-'

The chieftain stared down at him, unmoved. 'My guards are with her now. She should not be _much _mistreated.'

'No! She is innocent.'

'Indeed?' The woman smiled grimly, something in Jack's obvious distress amusing her. 'You need not concern yourself with the woman. Possessed or not she will be sold tonight to the highest bidder and when she has outlived her usefulness among those who are willing to take her, we will give her a quick end for we have no other use for her _kind_ here.'

'No! You do not understand. Please, let me see her. I _have_ to see her.'

Sensing his appeal was destined to fail Jack quickly changed tact. Dropping his eyes and lowering his face he strove to appear resigned to his captor's decision. 'As your prisoner then, I humbly request an audience with yourself before you take me to Aku.' The name was like ash in his mouth but he struggled on, ' I have information that may be of use to you, both on my companion and on your future fortunes. _Please_, I beg you, if you are wise and care for your people you would do well to hear me.'

Despite herself the woman's curiosity was piqued, 'Very well, I will hear you.' She motioned with her eyes to the waiting women, 'To the holding cell. Go.'

* * *

Mir woke with her throat dry and her body aching, the feeling was somehow familiar and at once she knew she had been screaming. She also knew she was not alone and peering into the dusty darkness could vaguely discern two tall shapes standing guard where she supposed the door to this musty-smelling room must be. Weaving slightly she got to her feet and staggered across to the tiny window only for one of the men to move forwards and thrust her roughly back, lowering a mealy curtain across the barred gap.

His grin was as unpleasant as the sour reek that came from his unwashed body, a cracked voice grated in the silence, 'Uh, uh. Away from the window, woman. None are allowed to see your face before you come before us all to be sold or slain.'

The second came forwards, grinning crookedly and a groping paw shot out, latching onto her wrist, pulling her forwards, 'Unless you want something else?' His voice trailed off into lewd chuckling.

Disgusted, Mir wrenched free, and backing away from the men huddled against the far wall putting as much distance between them as possible. It was useless to try and escape, she knew from experience what would inevitably follow and also that she was also powerless to stop it.

_'Hey pretty bird, come and play with us...'_

She ignored the men in the shadows, hugging her knees to her chest, her whole body aching.

'You want some more?'

_More?_ More what? A horrible revelation filtered slowly through, her dream, her nightmare - what had happened to her? Aku ... had Aku sent the vision to shield her from the reality of the present? She shivered yet sweat prickled again along her spine, it could not be so, it could _not _be.

Again the demon's soft laughter echoed through her head, _**always you are mine. Come and play.**_

_'Come and play...'_

Abruptly the door to her cell flung wide and several well-armed men pushed forwards into the darkness. Ignoring the guards they made straight towards her and stooping, two pulled her roughly to her feet before bundling her outside.

* * *

The door to the narrow cell opened and a bar of pale moonlight fell across the dirty floor, striping the space where the man crouched and breaking through the calm veil of his meditation.

Jack's eyes opened as the chieftain and another heavily muffled figure entered the cell and he breathed out softly, dipping his head. 'I thank you for hearing me.'

'Well?' The woman's voice was brusque, void of any compassion. Clearly she had re-considered her offer to hear him out and now believed it to be a waste of valuable time. She stepped closer and unexpectedly sat down cross-legged, facing him with the moon to her back leaving her hard-planed face in shadow.

The second woman moved forwards too, whisking her wrappings aside to reveal a wry and skeletal figure bedecked with amulets and charms. An ornate and ceremonial talisman hung from the dirty neck and beneath a lank fringe of sandy-coloured hair a pair of sharp black eyes watched the prisoner zealously.

'My siste,r our priestess.' The chieftain offered Jack no further introduction or explanation for the second's presence, both women were now staring at him with open distaste and swallowing down the dust that coated his parched throat he began.

They cut him off at every turn.

Try as Jack might to plead for Mir's safety, disregarding his own they turned his every word aside; pulled him up short, sidestepped his explanations, heard his words with blunt indifference...

'My travelling companion, she is innocent, my fate should not be shared by her.'

_'Do not concern yourself with the woman, we will profit from both of your captures.'_

'No, you do not understand. She is cursed, cursed by Aku - I have seen this curse at work, to harm her will only bring destruction upon yourselves -'

They laughed at that. _'We can see that she is possessed in some way. That much is obvious, do you take us for fools? Even so, she will be sold, even flawed beauty commands a price.'_

'No! You will bring Aku's wrath upon yourselves -'

_'And could you protect us from that fate samurai?'_ The priestess thrust her sun-scarred face into his, _'Would you protect us?'_

Jack swallowed. 'I would.'

More harsh laughter. _'Clearly then samurai you too are possessed. We see you. We have seen your face before and we know that Aku has placed a bounty upon your head' _The chieftain's pale tongue flicked at her thin lips,_ 'When we deliver you to Aku that bounty will be ours as will be the favour of Aku.'_

'Deliver me to him if you must but once more I beseech you, let the woman go.'

Eyes narrowed with contempt, _'Why do you continually torment yourself with her fate? Soon you will both be at peace.'_

'I beg you - do not betray her.'

The wizened shaman thrust her bony finger at him, _'Silence. You betray yourself, ultimately, as do all males. I have yet to see this woman for myself but clearly your obsession with her is strong. Where is your shame?'_

'How can you ask that of me when you yourselves are planning to sell her, make her a slave?' Biting back the snarls that threatened to fly across his teeth, Jack struggled to keep his voice level. 'No. No, I implore you, my intentions towards her are and always will be honourable.'

The chieftain surged to her feet, staring down at him with a contemptuous sneer. 'I have heard enough. Clearly you have nothing of real value to offer me, your bluff ends here and nothing has changed. You will be delivered to Aku and the woman will be sold. Also heed my warning that if you raise your voice against me again I shall have you flogged before you are taken.' She exchanged quick glances with her sister, 'Let us go.'

The door snapped fast behind them, plunging Jack once more into brief shadows before it burst back upon its hinges again as the guards returned and half dragged, half carried him outside and into the flickering half light.

* * *

Mir gratefully breathed in the cool night air, watching far away above the distant mountains the faint play of lightning upon their peaks. The thunder was too far away to hear, but already, leaves sighing above her in the gently rising wind brought the promise of a storm to come.

She flexed her bound wrists. The men had dragged her into a clearing between the low buildings that served as homes for the small community and to the crudely constructed wooden platform built there, the place where now she stood. Torches blazed from brackets on the houses and along the edge of the staging, illuminating the crowded square with their vivid flare.

She gazed out over the crowd, trying to quell the fear that lay chill in her stomach. Whatever they did to her would not ultimately harm her - Aku of course promised her that - but still she did not relish the prospect of her fate in their hands nor the adventure that would surely follow. The crowd surged closer again, a babel of voices cursing and braying, all eager to get a look at the her, this demon in their midst. Faces were raised to her, torchlight moving over them in waves, women's faces taut and fearful, their voices raised in jealousy and spite. Men's faces fear overridden by lust and brute ignorance, vying with each other above the clamour. They, like Jack, were not able to stare at her directly for long before her aura hurts their eyes.

'Hah! Give her to me, I'll teach her the meaning of possessed -'

'Witch, she's a witch. Burn her, hang her, she'll bewitch your men folk!'

'Already cursed us I'll wager.'

Something sharp flew out of the darkness, a stone thrown in anger. The hard point struck her high on the shoulder but she refused to wince, to show the pain, refused to give them the satisfaction. One of the guards moved across and pushed her further forwards into the torchlight and her control snapped,

'Get your filthy touch away from me or I _shall_ curse you' Such was the venom in her voice that it took the heavy-lidded and astonished man full seconds to react, then gathering himself he backhanded her hard across the face as the crowd screamed its approval.

Mir stumbled backwards soundlessly and sat down hard on the wooden planking, colliding with Jack's legs as he was thrust up onto the platform behind her. Raising her bound hands gingerly to her mouth she explored her throbbing lip with shaking fingers, tasting the metallic salt of her own blood as they came away bright red. Reflexively she spat and again the crowd hissed with barely reined-in fervour.

Jack's hands were still firmly bound but catching his balance he managed to stoop and help her back to her feet. Bringing her face close to his own he bit back a sudden gasp for the torches reflecting in her bright irises created the illusion that her eyes were lit with brilliant flames. _Aku_. Pushing the vision quickly aside he reached out to her, caught her by the edges of her robe, his voice though rough with urgency and concern acted as a brake on her panic. 'Mir! Mir, have they harmed you?'

'No. I am well.' She did not push his hands away, instead drawing close to him, her voice raw. 'But they do not heed me. Samurai. _Jack_ if they try to kill me Aku will destroy them all ... every one.' Tears lay unshed in her eyes and her teeth caught on her bruised lip, she would not beg him to help her - she did not need to.

'Please! You must hear me!' Carefully shielding her body with his own Jack edged to the front of the platform, ignoring the jeers that rose up to greet him. 'She speaks the truth, Aku will hunt you down if you harm her, she bears a tragic curse that -'

'Enough! Why do we wait!'

'Who is this white robed fool? Why should we heed him?'

'A monk? Hah! A monk possessed by devils!'

'Give the woman to us.'

'What does the priestess say?'

Voices rose up about him, clamouring with frustration and more missiles were launched from the shadows, striking home on both himself and Mir, Jack felt his anger mounting in turn as Mir trembled behind him, his voice grated harshly above their cries. 'Where is your wisdom? Aku will destroy you all! Do you not wish to save yourselves?'

'Enough! Enough I say.' The female chieftain and her sister appeared suddenly below him, the crowds parting about them like a grim tide and from either side guards rushed up onto the stage grabbing for his arms. Her voice cut above the clamour like ice, 'You will say no more Samurai Jack. You have said enough.'

Gaining the stage the two women gazed out calmly over the mob and raised their hands for silence. In the quiet that followed the first low rumbles of thunder drifted across the lowering skies and a cooling breeze sent the torches fluttering wildly.

The chieftain raised her arms again, her eyes hardening as Jack was hefted forwards by the guards and forced to his knees. Her voice rose joyfully into the sky's dark vault, 'Our time has come at last, fate has smiled gladly upon our people for in bringing us this man so shall it deliver us from our present predicament. Our Lord Aku wants this man, with his deliverance we shall win his favour. No more shall we scratch a meagre survival Aku will smile upon us...'

'No -' Mir dived forwards again, dodging the guard's grasping fingers, 'Aku will kill you! He will kill you all -' her words were choked off as one of the men wrapped a brawny arm about her throat, dragging her backwards. Still she struggled, fear and anger lending her strength but as the priestess approached her, a hooked ceremonial knife suddenly appearing in her hand Mir went still.

'And what of this she-demon?' the woman's voice crackled above the crowd's angry mutterings as she gestured to the black-haired captive. 'The samurai will be taken directly to his fate, but this woman if woman she is - what would you have done with her?'

'Give her to me!' Ribald laughter rang out briefly, quelled by the angry reaction from the predominantly female mob.

A dozen cries rang out - kill the witch! Burn her! Hang her! Drown her! Give her to us. Give her to us!

'Drown her!'

The shaman's lips curled in a mirthless smile, 'Drown her indeed?' She looked across to her sister and received a subtle nod - clearly something was bothering them, they had forgotten all about the sale of Mir, instead intent now on her swift destruction. 'Very well.'

'No! You must not harm her!' Ignoring the guards' grip on his arms Jack leapt forwards again, shouldering his way towards Mir who was struggling between two tall men, 'Let her go.' Someone hit him across the base of the skull again and he staggered, blinking and shaking his head and then surged forwards again, _'Let her go! You must no harm her!' _This time the guard's blow brought him to his knees.

Seeing Jack go down Mir screamed, it was happening again and she was powerless to stop it, they caught at her wrists and pulled her forwards yet still she flung herself back again, desperation firing her aching muscles far beyond their limits. Her eyes met Jack's; too many people pressed between them, as the mob suddenly surged forwards onto the stage, all order forgotten.

Jack could not help her, could not reach her. A dark-skinned man leapt onto the stage before her, swept her up in his grip and clenched her hard against his barrel chest. Mir struggled uselessly and seeing the chieftain standing close by her voice rang out under another peal of thunder in one final appeal.

'No! Listen to me! Understand me. You can not kill me - _you can not_ and Aku will punish you for trying. Please ... please -' her voice dropped as the woman, smiling, simply turned away and the man who held her began to paw eagerly at her robe like an animal. Mir screamed again and again.

_'Akuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu ! Akuuuu -'_ sobs choked her, _'Please! Aku will destroy you-'_

A sudden sound cut clean through her terror - a sharp _spang_ from a source she couldn't identify and the man who held her suddenly jerked as though pulled sideways with invisible wires. His grip slackened and he slid lifelessly to the floor, blood pooling quickly from the neat hole below his ear.

'Savages! Can't you ignorant fools see she's telling the truth.' A new voice rang out above the clamour and suddenly a volley of gunshots crackled across the electric night. Woman screamed and were quickly hushed.

The mob went still.

Mir fell to her knees, 'Aku will destroy you...' her voice quavered in the sudden silence as Jack scrambled forwards shielding her in his arms, she didn't resist and together they and the crowd stared wide eyed at the figure that moved slowly forwards out of the light.

**end of # 4**


	5. And Then There Were Three

**Samurai Jack and the Gift of Aku**

**5: And Then There Were Three**

As the newcomer moved forwards and closer to the stage the villagers gave way before her presence like a reluctant breaking tide. Whispers and oaths flew in the fear-charged air yet despite its obvious tension, the mob quickly closed ranks behind the dark-clad form once it had passed by and surged forwards threateningly again. Clearly, although disturbed by the stranger's presence they were not going to be easily distracted from their prize despite one of their number already growing cold at their feet.

The stranger paid them no heed. The shadowed eyes remained fixed on the kneeling captives and perceiving this, Jack began to ease himself carefully forwards, aiming to shield his slighter companion with his body but with a warning glance, Mir shook her head, her pupils huge in the flickering light.

The dirt-streaked chieftain came reluctantly forward to stand with lip out thrust. Her tone was petulant. 'What do you want? Why have you disturbed our ritual?' If she had hoped to hear deference in the intruder's reply she was soon to be disappointed.

'Ritual?' Scornful laughter spat across the rapidly cooling air as the woman turned her head. ' I see no ritual, just ignorant mud-grubbing savages caught unprepared to deal with what they mistakenly think is theirs. Your time is up, I have come to collect.'

A flurry of whispers ran through the onlookers again as the people looked to their head-woman for guidance. She shook her white-plumed head, in truth feeling as apprehensive as they did but a sudden sense of dawning responsibility coupled with foolish pride forced her tongue.

'State your business!'

A sharp crack of thunder suddenly smote the air and quickly turning it to her advantage the stranger stepped forwards again and fully into the torchlight as the winds from the storm front arrived, lifting and throwing back her stained travelling cloak with fluid movement. Muttered curses and invocations against enchantment rippled through the crowd, falling into silence as the flinty eyes swept across their fearful sea of faces and a humourless smile creased the woman's lips, an automatic response to the hands that came up to make the sign against evil.

_Let them think what they will. Fools, their ignorance is their own worst enemy._

She stared about her coolly. A tall, slender woman, bursting with vigour, she looked to be scarcely past her teens and yet there was an air of strange discipline; a hardness to her that defied - was almost at odds with - her apparent youth. She was not beautiful and yet in the set of her bones and the tilt of the oval-shaped face there were signs that once she might indeed have possessed rare gifts yet had chosen instead to bury them. Her lips were compressed to a thin line of bitterness and the large eloquent eyes that might once have held the spark of laughter, of simple pleasures and joy were instead dark and flat as though all weakening emotions had been painstakingly wrung from them over bitter seasons past.

Jack and Mir were transfixed. As the torchlight dappled her body the woman turned again and her eyes swept across them, eyes that had seen much yet refused to weep. Eyes that were wholly surrounded by strange flame-shaped tattoos as red as the streaks that ran through the roughly cropped black hair, as red as the scars that interlaced the woman's skin, cut and clawed across her flesh like scratches on pale canvas. The marks of Aku, the scars of a bounty hunter...

_Come and play..._

'My business is my own.' As though unconscious of the crowd's goggling eyes upon her, the woman casually drew up a sleek chrome coloured gun and expertly fitted another clip before sliding it home again into the dark holster slung snug about her narrow hips. She moved forward and from beneath her cloak came the glint of several wicked-looking hunting knives. She spoke again.

'I am Leiko Mouko. I am in the service of the Lord Aku and I have come to claim what is rightfully mine - and his. I have come for the Samurai. '

Mir's breath came out in a low hiss and something like the ghost of a smile crossed her lips whilst in direct contrast, against her shoulder she felt Jack's breath catch, his muscles tensing as he gauged the unknown enemy. His face turned to hers, dark eyebrows intense and his mouth opened as if to speak but roughly she nudged him back into silence.

The ochre-hued priestess appeared at her sister's side rattling a handful of talismen arms-length at the newcomer. Sweeping the straw-coloured hair from her eyes she brandished the broken birds wings and tiny sun-bleached bones before her in a voice cracking with both fear and authority, 'Begone foul demoness. There is nothing here for you. You seek in vain.'

Before she could step back to safety out of arm's reach the stranger lunged forwards, fixing the bony wrist with a gloved hand, forcing it back and down until soundlessly the would-be village protector folded to her knees. The bones and amulets were wrenched from the woman's fingers and flung away across the heads in the crowd

'Don't try my patience. I've already wasted enough time in this fetid mud-bath you call a civilization.'

The chieftain moved again, reluctantly forcing herself between the two women. 'The Samurai is mine. _We_ will take him to our Lord Aku, long have we struggled to gain his favour, now with this blessing -'

'The Samurai is _mine_!'

The chieftain thrust out an accusing finger yet was careful to stay out of the taller woman's reach. 'I know you bounty hunter, you are a curse on this land, you take what is not yours and you reap the reward.' Her voice scaled upwards suddenly as her anger erupted, 'You have no claim here! _We_ captured the Samurai, he belongs to _us_ and we shall do with him as we choose!' Glancing back over her shoulder her eyes met Jack's and whipping around suddenly she bent and grabbing at Mir sprawled her face down at the bounty hunter's feet. 'Take the woman. Leave us the man.'

Blinded by her hair and with her wrists still heavily bound, Mir struggled back to her knees but could do nothing to retaliate as the woman's cool gloved hand suddenly took her by the jaw, tilting her face upwards.

Leiko's voice was as remote as the stars. 'So tell me now, what's a pretty little trinket like _you_ doing wandering this big bad land of thugs and rapists?' Curiosity burned hot in her flame-clad stare and her eyes locked briefly with the stranger's before they were forced to shy away, narrowing in pain. Nevertheless she returned to the attack at once, her voice low and mocking, 'Don't you know you're far too sweet a dish to be left unstirred? If you're not careful somebody out there is going to swallow you whole.'

Mir's neutral response took her by surprise. 'Perhaps. But there is more to me than meets the eye. You above all others here should understand this for I sense something hidden within you too.'

_Touché_

Biting her lip silently, the bounty hunter stared down at the woman before her - black hair streaked with green, red and white; tawny skin, catlike eyes, so lithe and slender, such a contrast to the ragged, earth-stained, rough-hewn natives who pressed around them now in the waiting throng. Even Leiko in her self-imposed state of sensory and social denial could see that Mir was lovely.

_Perhaps too lovely..._

Gathering her thoughts and wincing at the pain that built rapidly behind them she forced her eyes to meet the prisoner's again ... yes, enchantment lay heavily upon her, shimmering along the edges of the Leiko's perception, burning her senses, stealing the very moisture from her eyes. The woman bore quite plainly the marks of her lord. The marks of Aku.

And there was something more too, something just out of reach. _Power? _True power. The bounty hunter's eyes widened despite the stinging pain. This wisp of a woman kneeling at her feet should have been afraid of her but she was not, instead she was inexplicably far more afraid of the Samurai. Leiko could feel this fear, could almost taste it clenched behind Mir's teeth - but why? She could have been - _should have been_ defiant, aggressive - could have swept Leiko's challenge away with as little effort as she might have taken in swatting at a fly - lord knows she had power enough to do it, but again she did not. To the bounty hunter, long-trained in hard-won combat skills, it was incomprehensible that the woman should choose to keep hidden away inside herself this sentient dark power so apparent behind her eyes. This sliver of darkness... _this gift of Aku..._

She thrust her wandering thoughts away, so Aku had designs on this enchanted little witch, that much now was clear in her mind. A sudden sickening pang shot through her, something she realised afterwards when she was alone with her pain, could only have been jealousy. Aku had given her no gifts save her weapons and the scars that marked her hide. Had she not dedicated her very life to his service? Had she not pledged herself to his will so many dark years ago as a child, as a mere stripling? So many long years. When would she be worthy in his eyes?

Her eyes darkened and she tore her gaze away from Mir and glared at the waiting chieftain, noting in her peripheral vision that the guards who flanked the samurai had closed about him, purposefully hedging him in. Dragged to his feet he now he stood staring at the ground with black and unfathomable eyes amidst the rustle of restless people. Perhaps his companion could be used to Leiko's advantage? Grudgingly, she found her voice.

'I have no need for the woman, she is worthless to me. Do with her as you will, go ahead and drown her as you had proposed to...' her voice gathered malicious momentum as an idea formed, 'Indeed you would do well to drown her before she brings destruction upon you all.'

Jack's head came up, his eyes wide and the guards, anticipating trouble grappled with his bindings but he shook them off, 'Do not harm her, you _must not_ harm her.'

The bounty hunter gave him a scathing and turned back to the chieftain. 'Give me the Samurai. I will see to it that my Lord Aku rewards you in kind.'

'We will not give him to you Leiko Mouko!' The priestess stood square at her sister's side, eyes glinting in the lightning that played constantly now around the dark hill-rimmed horizon, 'Tales abound in this land, we have heard from travellers of how the bounty hunters of Aku serve no other interest but their own. We see you! We know you!'

'If you know me,' the younger woman's voice had suddenly become as cool and inhuman as the steel muzzle she drew from her holster. 'Then you'll also know what I'm capable of.' Scarcely were the words out of her mouth before the gun came up and fired point blank at the chieftain. Soundlessly the woman staggered back, rich blood pooling about her as she dropped to her knees.

A second gun appeared in Leiko's hands and taking leisurely aim she squeezed the trigger, brilliant red tracer splashed across Jack's vision as with a soft, wet _popping_ sound two of the guards holding him crumpled to the earth. Instantly the crowd panicked, swinging this way and that, suddenly leaderless and dangerously volatile. People surged forwards fighting amongst themselves to get at Jack and Mir though whether intending to save or deliver them was impossible to tell. Women screamed, men lashed out, stones were flung out of the darkness, knives flashed in the torchlight. Leiko shot again, and three more men fell, the mob surged to a white-eyed standstill surrounding their fallen chieftain and the prisoners.

The bounty hunter stood calmly, staring down at the terrified priestess woman, who shorn of pride and office hugged her fallen sister, keening softly over her form in a ghostly wail. Clearly the woman had never before seen a gun. Leiko spoke. 'I serve the Lord Aku. How many more of you primitives must I kill before you give me what is mine?'

The chieftain's eyes fluttered open and her hand, suddenly claw- like gripped her sister's shoulder, uniting them in pain and grief. Wiping savagely at eyes wet with tears, in a voice hoarse with impotent anger, the priestess gulped back her fear. 'A curse on you and all your kind bounty hunter. Take him if you want him but I swear by all my gods that you will not leave this valley unscathed.'

'Don't try to provoke me.' Coldly Leiko turned her attention to the mob, pointing at Mir who still crouched miserably in the shadows at her feet. 'You men, take her away but be wary - don't give her the chance to bewitch you.'

Eager to please this mercurial interloper, several surged forwards at once, fingers closing upon Mir's arms as she cringed away from their touch. However, once dragged to her feet she suddenly dropped the apathy and catching them unawares, lunged at Jack, catching at his robe and dragging them both over entangled in the dust, their faces mere inches apart. Something cool and sharp was pressed into his hand. A flint with edge enough to cut his bindings.

'Aku!' Mir's voice was harsh, shot through with rising fear. Lightning danced in her orange eyes as thick shafts of rain began to fall. _'Samurai,_ please. If they do this thing then Aku will come, they will die, they will all die!'

'Mir-' Before Jack could reply, uncouth fingers grasped a thick handful of her hair, wrenching her head backwards into darkness, into rain. Away from him.

A knot of men closed about her, greedy hands already sliding over her body as half fearful, half laughing they dragged her quickly away from him and back to the bounty hunter who was watching with a curious expression playing across her lips.

'I fear it's time for us to part company. A shame really when we have such _mutual interests_ at heart.'

Mir's eyes were bright with shock. The bounty hunter knew. _She knew. _And still she would bring this doom upon these unsuspecting people.

_'No!'_ Even as the men pulled her bodily away she struggled and fought, screamed her warning to their deaf ears, as fear and frustration welled in her throat. _'No!'_ Desperation fuelled her struggles but it was not enough and with tears streaking her face she screamed at the watching woman, one last wrenching appeal.

'Please. _Please._ You have to stop this. You know! You know what will happen! You know what will happen to them all. Aku! Aku will come-'

Somebody clapped a rough palm over her mouth and her voice died smothered in her throat to the sound of harsh laughter and for the first time in many months Leiko Mouko found herself smiling.

* * *

With the distraction of the woman gone, Leiko returned her attention to the business at hand and surveyed her prize.

The Samurai - still bound by the wrists and flanked by two village men - had as yet made no move to attack her. He stood now with feet firmly planted, watching her through slitted eyes, breathing evenly, calm even in the face of his companion's obvious distress. A dark bruise purpled his temple that the bounty hunter could almost see throbbing to the rhythm of his pulse.

To many people it might look as though he no longer cared about what happened to him next but Leiko was not to be so easily fooled. She studied his stance, his weight was tilted slightly forwards as though set to spring and beneath the loose robe his muscles were tense, ready to snap back at her like some young green branch. To consider him cowed would lead to her downfall and staring at him and his silent defiance she found herself grudgingly admitting that unlike so many of the other foes she had despatched he was indeed a worthy opponent. _Perhaps too worthy._

Which would make the taste of his defeat and humiliation at the hands of herself and the Lord Aku even sweeter on her tongue.

His head moved slightly and in response something cold and sharp dropped suddenly, icily, into her mind with crystal clarity. _'Where was his sword?'_

Narrowing his eyes, Jack watched the woman carefully for signs of nervousness. She held herself erect and proud and yet he could tell at once by the way her weight shifted from foot to foot, her fingers curled and uncurled and the way her eyes flicked him ceaselessly up and down that she was on edge. His own movements were, unbeknown to Leiko, subtly and skilfully gauged to take hers into consideration - and exploit them. He could tell already that she expected him to leap at her from the way his weight was balanced and he also knew that despite her apparent confidence she secretly feared that she was overmatched.

He moved his head deliberately, drawing her attention to his eyes, taking in the lithe, scarred figure. She looked suddenly young and alone. His temple throbbed. It was not honourable to fight a woman and yet sometimes - as here - there was no choice. With her attention now centred on his face and the guards eyes on hers, Jack, using the flint Mir had slipped him, sliced easily through the cords that bound his wrists, and stood calmly facing her, careful to keep his cramped arms held in their former position.

No, it was not honourable to fight a woman - even one in league with Aku - but in doing so perhaps he could give her some of her own lost honour back.

_Where is the sword?_ Fear like a cold rush flooded the bounty hunter's veins, but she had not as yet voiced the question aloud. Wiping rain from her brow, she waved imperiously to the guards and slowly they shuffled forwards hedging the prisoner between them, their fearful eyes still fixed upon her. She scanned the samurai quickly, his hands were still tied and the impassive face gave nothing away yet the place at his side where the sword was accustomed to hang was empty.

Angrily, Leiko whirled about her to confront the two village elders who remained as before, crouched in the rain-pocked dirt staring at her with pale and heavy-lidded animosity. Thunder rolled about them. The Chieftain's wound had been staunched by a dirty cloth strip torn from her sister's own robe and strangely, the woman she seemed to draw a dark strength from this. In answer to the tattooed woman's furious stare both surged awkwardly to their feet, the Priestess supporting her sister's weight, glaring at Leiko with unmasked hatred as the gyring wind from the storm sent the feathered amulets strung about her spare frame fluttering wildly in its force.

_Where is the sword?_

Would it be enough to return to her Lord Aku with just the Samurai? In truth she didn't know and yet feared that it would not be so. Sword and Samurai were one. Aku's disappointment in her failure would quickly turn to rage, a rage that even should he choose to let her live beyond its boundaries, the aftermath - that glowering caul of shame that would forever cover her like a second skin - she did not feel she could ever long endure.

Gathering her thoughts she gestured towards the prisoner's hip, speaking sharply to the pale-haired women, 'Where is his sword?' Her gaze swept over them and the silent guards, over the crowd still standing close-packed and expectant and her voice rose. 'Where is his sword?'

The Chieftain's eyes followed the younger woman's finger and she stood blinking slowly at her former prisoner as if considering the question while the Priestess, still supporting her weight, simply stared with open mockery at the bounty hunter's obvious distress. No words escaped the cracked and withered lips but a soft, high-pitched cackle bubbled in her throat, its venomous glee bursting around Leiko's head until with a muttered curse she backhanded the woman across the face sending both villagers stumbling again into the mud.

White fury stung behind her eyes as she stared down at the two now silent women, aware of the crowds' growing ugliness, aware that unless she acted to change the mood and regain control that they were likely to turn wholesale against her. None would meet her eye. Fools. If they expected her to treat with them like some common messenger then they would swiftly learn the error of their ways. Pushing the fallen elders from her mind she whirled about her grabbing out at the nearest figure, a girl scarcely grown into womanhood and pulling out the chrome-coloured gun shoved the barrel hard beneath the terrified creature's breast. The resulting panicky screams had the desired effect and the crowd went cold, staring at her with wild-eyed horror.

'Shut up!' She jammed the gun harder against the fluttering ribs. _'Shut up!_ Her eyes swept the mob. 'This one will be the first of many if I do not get what I came here for.' Even in her own ears her voice sounded raw in the heavy, rain-slicked air. 'Where is the sword?'

Behind her a voice answered smoothly, 'If you want it then you will have to earn it.'

Scarcely were Jack's words spoken when a huge double fork of lightning split the sky directly overhead, the silver branches streaking wickedly earthwards, seeking release. So close was the strike that, tasting the metallic tang upon his tongue he felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. The lightning grounded again and one of the tall wooden posts at the end of the stage was struck, blossoming into flame along with the roofs of several nearby homes, the greedy snap of the blaze drowning under the ringing boom of thunder following hard upon its heels.

Instantly the mob scattered, all order, all reasoning, lost as people rushed about the clearing, leaping from the stage in panic, barging to and fro - caught between superstition and simple fear of the elements. The Chieftain's voice quavered to be heard above the din but it was useless, bodies thronged everywhere, people calling out names, snatching family members to safety. The thunder yowled again and the heavens opened, knifelike rain pounding down, soaking everything in seconds and forsaking all protocol both elders fled for shelter, the Chieftain still leaning heavily upon her sister, leaving their subjects to followed suite if sensible or else perish.

Savagely Leiko struck water from her eyes, squinting forwards into the now acrid air, a few people still rushed wildly to and fro trying to save their smouldering homes which eerily illuminated the clearing and stage. She realised she still held the village girl in an iron grasp and with a sudden thrust shoved her away, sending her scurrying and stumbling, sobbing with relief towards the flaming huts.

Slowly she turned about. He stood as before on the edge of the stage with lightning-born fire blazing at his back and his face in shadow. There was no sign of the men who had guarded him. Despite the chill wind and cloying rain the Samurai had barely moved.

Except in his hand he now held the sword.

* * *

Try as she might, Mir could not free herself of the hot damp hands that gripped her so tightly as the small group of men dragged her through the village towards her fate. Now that her doom was apparently carved in stone, strangely those villagers not in direct contact with her appeared to have lost interest in the spectacle. Indeed, as the stormy weather lashed down on the settlement many returned to their houses perhaps mindful of Leiko's warning that even on the very doorstep of death this evil little demoness could - and would - smite them.

Her attention shifted as the men paused in their rush to unlash a small gate. A moments fumbling and then they were through, soft mud sinking beneath their boots as they toted her weight between them while the air became suddenly charged with the shrill cries of animals as goats and sheep - clearly expecting food - pressed close and thronged about them. One of the men holding her tripped as the goats, hoarse with anticipation, milled excitedly in front of him and went down on his knees, wrenching her painfully after him. Before she could take advantage of the situation more fingers closed hard about her wrists and shoulders, checking her bonds and forcing her to kneel.

'Please,' she raised her face to the man hunkering beside her, checking the ropes that held her wrists. 'Please, you must listen to me, I fear not for my own life, but for yours and your peoples. If you should try and harm me then Aku will come, he will come and destroy you and all you have. Please, let me go'

Their eyes met, he was staring - and wincing - at her with frank curiosity, a young man, well-muscled and in his prime. His cornflower blue eyes fringed with pale lashes, as pale as the thick blond hair that lay damp and tousled about his shoulders and stubbled across his cheeks. His lips curved upwards slightly as his eyes roamed over her face and body, taking in the thick wind-whipped hair, the tawny-coloured skin and amber eyes, the rose-tinted mouth and then down to the damp robe clinging to a body whose curves belied all innocence. His lips curved further.

'Please.'

The animals pressed around them again and the man's lips suddenly split into a wide leer revealing cracked and broken teeth as he leaned closer, blasting her with the sour stench of his unwashed body. 'I love a woman who begs.' Cruel, slow laughter bubbled up from somewhere within his frame and Mir cursed herself, for in the blink of an eye he had changed. Now the pale lashes and wet hair gave him the cast not of would-be saviour but of ignorant bovine stupidity coupled to a smile that spoke of base animal lust. He laughed again, pawing at her robe and fuelled by desperation she spat at him only to be rewarded with a stinging slap across the face fuelled by the very bulk that had previously seemed almost reassuring. Her eyes watered, so much for a man's honour when his strength was revealed to lie in nothing more than brute force fired by hormones and greed.

Shoving the clamouring goats roughly away with his thighs, another of the men grabbed her by the hair, eliciting a whimper of pain, forcing her to kneel as the others moved forwards and planted their flaming brands in the earth. As they moved aside the thunder boomed again, the lightning almost continuous now and she saw through the flickering veils of rain what they had planned for her.

The mountain reared black above the village into the night as before them a spring welled out of the fast rising ground, tumbling into a rough formed cup cast from the valley's very bones. Her eyes squinted in the half-light, searching for a waterfall's silver curtain but instead the pool had been dammed. Below it a series of roughly hewn ledges and crudely carved gates fed the water off and away presumably to irrigate crops in the dusty summer heat although a small constant trickle remained channelled directly into what lay before her now.

An animals drinking trough. The place they had chosen to drown her.

Mir's eyes narrowed. The trough lay before her, a slim rectangle of blackness stretching out to claim her life. A column of ebony light topped with fire for the men had, whether by design or default placed their guttering torches at the far end of the trough where they now snapped and flickered wildly in the wind.

A wedge of darkness topped by flame and she knelt at its feet.

Unbidden, dark demon claws tracked her spine and she shivered, closing her eyes as the men suddenly pulled her to her feet and towards the rough basin as a sob caught in the back of her throat. She struggled against their numbers, feet slipping in the mud as they heaved her to the end of the trough with ribald curses and encouragement, seemingly more afraid of the bounty hunter's angry presence than in Mir's supposed evil. Finally her knees came up against the cool stone ledge and swiftly a hand grasped the back of her neck bending her forwards over the dark water as someone else smacked her hard open-palmed across the rump. Other hands followed, tracing their own individual paths across her body and she struggled to push the present from her mind.

_If you think foolish one, that your master can not make you do things that you do not wish to do, then you will find that you do not know him at all._

Strong hands fastened about her, forcing her face down towards the water's surface and Mir closed her eyes, her tears falling freely onto the wind-ruffled water below. She dare not look down, _she dare not_ for she was so afraid of what she might see.

And yet look she did.

There below her on the rippling surface her own reflection stared back as lightning laced the skies above her yet left her captors reduced to mere shadow forms. The flames dancing fractured on the choppy surface of the water at the head of the trough seemed to suddenly to solidify, taking on sharper definition. Quickly, they spread out to surround the whole perimeter of the trough in a frame of fire whilst at the heart of the dark water below her reflection two orange-coloured flames rose slowly up to greet her. And even as she stared white-eyed at this, a darkness blacker even than her own shadow drew together beneath the surface and with the familiar icing of her nerve ends she stared back into the brilliant gaze of her demon tormentor, the shapeshifter Aku.

A brilliant fork of lightning curved suddenly earthwards, lighting up the macabre scene and a wave of thunder shook the rocks about her as fresh rain, cold and hard and relentless began to fall, chilling her with its gelid touch. The black water rippled, a mirror from which she couldn't look away.

For the space of perhaps three breaths his fanged smile teased her with heat and desire and she heard herself moan his name. Seconds later someone pushed against the backs of her knees and as one, the village men who held her forced her forwards, thrusting her head down into the demon's grinning reflection.

* * *

Before she could stop to think Leiko's battle-honed reflexes took over and despite the mud oozing beneath her feet she sprinted forwards several paces then rolled, coming up in a shooting stance with the gun held at arms length before her, aimed straight for the Samurai's heart. _Except her enemy was no longer there._ Looking swiftly about her through the sheets of rain she pushed to her feet and caught flitting movements in her peripheral vision split seconds before Jack neatly scissored her legs out from under her bringing her crashing heavily into the dirt.

Lying in the chill mud she pushed a hank of wet hair from her eyes and heard his voice over her shoulder. 'Please - I do not wish to hurt you.' She turned her head, through the deluge she could see him watching her with something akin to sympathy in those wide black eyes and in reply scarlet fury shot through her, a flood-tide of scalding pain and unaccountable shame. Somehow he made her feel dirty inside.

With a guttural cry she lurched to her feet and flung herself at him. Such was the ferocity of her attack that she caught him off balance, sent him staggering backwards several paces giving her time to bring up the gun. The recoil sent a familiar thrill up her arm and she fired again and again, emptying the chamber as he struggled to evade the bullets. No time to reload. Leiko brought out a second handgun and without hesitation squeezed off a round into the gathering gloom although she could no longer directly see her enemy. Striding forwards she reloaded the first gun and reaching underneath her outfit extracted a minute phial of green liquid from her belt, slipping it into the chamber of the second pistol.

Where had he gone? Whirling about her she squinted into the rain and found herself standing besides a ramshackle house. Scarcely pausing to think the young woman thrust open the door and strode purposefully into the room beyond, her nose wrinkling at the sour reek which assailed her nostrils. The samurai was not inside but instead several children huddled wide-eyed about a glowing fire and an even younger sibling, a mere babe in arms who sensing the sudden tension in the room began to whimper.

The eldest, a girl with flaming hair cropped roughly about her shoulders, a child of no more than twelve summers stepped forward, her small curled fists and steady jaw belying the fear dancing in her green eyes as she spoke in a raw, scared whisper. 'I will not let you harm my brothers. If you must kill, take me.'

Leiko blinked. The girl clearly believed what she said and something in the child's appeal touched obliquely upon a part of herself she had long kept buried. In the back of her mind years of bitterness welled up, lending her fresh resolve, unlike Mir, Aku had not gifted her with magic and yet he was her Lord and she owed him many things. The fear of disappointing him was as strong as any goad and it steadied her, buoyed her up and enabled her to suddenly focus again. Her face remained expressionless but as she turned on the threshold of the tiny home she found herself pausing and reaching for her belt. The tiny dirk she drew forth had long been a treasured possession, its blade still silver-sharp and the hilt, fashioned into the likeness of her demon master was well used to the caress of her fingers.

Reaching down she took the girl's hand and placed the dagger upon her palm, gently closing the fingers over it as the astonished eyes sought her own. What could she say to the child? There was so much she could have told her but her jaw locked and she turned away and opened the door, her voice a mere echo on the thrum of the wind that thrust itself into the chamber in her place _'Remember me.'_

Back into the rain again. A few villagers still stumbled here and there throwing her senses into disarray split seconds before the shadow detached itself from the eaves of the hut and dropped soundlessly to the earth behind her. Some sixth sense warned her of his presence and she threw herself sideways as he sprang after her. Realising she was suddenly at a disadvantage as she floundered through ankle deep mud she sought to turn the tide but this time he gave her no opportunity. Wildly she fired the gun, forgetting in the heat of battle Aku's decree that she bring him back alive and snarling with frustration as he used the accursed sword to deflect the bullets. The gun clicked empty and swearing freely, she flung it aside in disgust, bringing up the second pistol.

Jack smiled grimly. 'You can not shoot me.'

Something in his eyes told her that it would be fruitless to try and so she shoved the pistol away again and instead from inside her sleeve shook loose a small razor-edged knife, shielding it from his gaze with her fingers. With an effort she forced her body into a relaxed stance, for she knew from long experience what he - what all men - would do next.

'I have no fight with you.' Sheathing the sword Jack took a deep breath. Every fibre in his body, every thud of his heart screamed at him to find Mir for there was no telling what the village men would do to her, or indeed what she - albeit inadvertently - would do to them. His instincts however, told him to stay for he did not trust the tattooed woman even though she had now put away her guns and appeared non-threatening. With rain-chilled fingers he wiped the water from his eyes, mist produced by the heavy downpour after the humid day now rose in frail wisps from the adjacent forest and trapped in the village's valley hung at waist height in ghostly layers about him. He moved towards the woman, hand hovering over the sword but otherwise apparently off guard.

_Wait. Wait. Let him come closer. _He was indeed far better trained then the usual class of enemy Aku set her against, and she was under no illusion that he was the stronger but strength was not everything. She set her teeth to her lower lip and half-slitting her eyes, smiled to herself. The Samurai was a mere arm's length away now, still wary, still suspicious, but ultimately blinded by her apparent submission. Her nose wrinkled with sudden distaste as she caught the smell of his sweat and her fingers itched for action but still she held herself in check, waiting until he was close enough, close enough to -

_Strike!_

Before Jack could do anything to defend himself she jumped forwards and swung her arm in a wide arc, thrilling to the feel of the knife in her hand as it slid easily into her grip and slashed across his chest, cleaving through robe and flesh alike in a single strike. In the space of a heartbeat she reversed her grip, aiming diagonally on the returning arc and had the satisfaction of seeing those black eyes widen in sudden shock as the silver blade drew a brilliant crimson stripe from breast to collarbone together with a soft gasp of pain. A third strike, and this time she held the blade two-handed as she lunged, intending to slide it between his ribs, indeed she could almost feel it grating home already but Jack arched his body away as she hacked at him and the blow went wide, glancing off his arm instead as beneath the torn snowy robe, blood began to slowly trickle slowly downwards. Grinning fiercely she struck out again but this time it was Jack who was too quick, catching her by the wrists he wrenched her off balance and into his grasp, gripping her so tightly that she felt her bones grinding under the relentless pressure.

He was standing so close. He was holding her. He revolted her. She struggled angrily but to little effect, her breathing becoming ragged as her mind momentarily blanked.

Jack's chest and arm were a mass of stinging fire but mastering the pain and pushing it aside he stared down at the young woman in his grip knowing she was the work of Aku and yet also human like himself. Despite her continuing animosity sympathy brimmed in his heart.

'Please understand me, I have no fight with you. Aku has clearly bewitched you. Let me help-' His words were cut off as in response he abruptly received a face full of spit but even so he remained calm, his mind recalling the meeting between her and the elders.

The bounty hunter squirmed in his grasp and spat again as the black eyes fixed on her, so full of sorrow she wanted to retch. 'Leiko, Leiko, where is your honour?'

Honour? What in the name of everything under Aku's sun did he know about her honour?

Without strategy or thought of consequence and with all her might she rammed her knee up and into his groin, feeling him double up in pain with a sickening groan as he released her wrists. Instantly she turned the knife and smashed the hard round hilt repeatedly into his ribs and shoulders as, in return he struck out blindly knocking the blade from her grasp. But it no longer mattered, white fury possessed her, his apparent taunt, his questioning of her honour fused to give her strength beyond comprehension, pushing him upright she drove her fists into his ribs and stomach, his shoulders and his jaw. She heard her own breath sobbing harsh and raw in unison with his as she hit him again and again, no longer caring if her knuckles were split to the bone, no longer caring if it was his blood or her own that speckled her arms. He tried to pin her arms but she kicked out hard, her booted foot catching him a crushing blow on the thigh and bringing him down on one knee. Still she came on kicking and punching, never pausing and snatching out the second pistol she brought it down hard against the side of his head.

Jack's legs suddenly collapsed beneath him and he dropped to the mud on all fours, blinking and dazed. Grabbing a handful of his hair, Leiko pulled back his head and breaking open a second green-filled phial splashed the contents across his face and torso. Jack howled as the numbing fluid stung his eyes and set his wounds on fire. Desperately he grabbed up a handful of wet mud and smeared it across his skin trying to ease the corrosive burning, thus occupied it was all too easy for Leiko to hit him across the back of his skull again and at last he fell limply forwards in to the mire and lay still.

Dragging him over onto his back Leiko felt a grin of triumph curving her mouth. Dropping to her knees she straddled him, carefully pinning his arms and from a sheath strapped to her thigh she drew a slender dagger and held it tautly - and in the hope that beneath his unconsciousness some part of him would feel it - almost lovingly to his throat as away on the far side of the village the first screams began.

The screams of men in mortal fear.

Beneath her Jack's eyes suddenly snapped open, focused not on Leiko but on something far beyond her and drawing up his legs he flipped her suddenly from his body as easily as she would flick away a bug. Winded, she landed awkwardly on her hip and despite her spirit urging her up and onwards to his destruction her body could not comply and instead she sank back down into the mud, temporarily exhausted and tasting again the familiar bile rise in her throat as she realised with a sure and sudden knowledge that all this time he had been holding back his true strength.

Dirty, bruised and bloody, Jack scrambled to his feet and with no more than a dismissive backward glance in her direction, fled towards the screams and Mir.

**end of # 5**

**Leiko Mouko appears courtesy of and with thanks to her creator Hekima  
**


	6. The Promises of Darkness

**Samurai Jack and the Gift of Aku**

**Part 6: The Promises of Darkness**

Spangles of colour bloomed vividly behind Mir's eyelids and the cold water keened in her ears as the pressure in her empty lungs mounted. Held immobile by uncouth hands she felt rather than saw fate swim languidly up at her out of the inky depths. A spasm shook her slight frame, the body's last desperate fight for oxygen. No use. No use. These folk were simple but they were strong, possibly she was not the first victim they had despatched this way, though before the day was out and Aku's wrath had descended amidst them, she would in all likelihood be their last.

She fought to keep her lips pressed together as every fibre in her body clamoured for air and slowly the roaring in her ears faded to no more than a distant hum. Death. It meant nothing for it was unattainable. How many times had she been dragged to its very threshold? How many times would she have willingly thrown herself boneless into its maw only for Aku's dark protection to deflect the final blow, to douse the flame, to stay the hand, gift her with the breath of life and drag her back from the brink of blessed oblivion.

Dark bubbles rose from the suddenly depthless trough, bursting soundlessly about her submerged head as with a familiar and mocking touch the demon embraced her. Stripped away the layers of dull panic clouding her mind and the feel of rough hands upon her skin, drove aside even the searing need for air and with a twist of dark sinew wrenched her from reality and into his domain as easily as a thrush would pull a snail from its shell.

Vaguely some part of Mir knew that her body still remained on the mortal plane, held fast in grasp of the villagers, still choked for air, still invited scorn and hatred and desire but she was no longer a part of it.

Her eyes opened wide, straining into a darkness that was absolute. She could no more see the fingers she held in front of her face than her feet beneath her. Black. All was black. A smothered whimper jumped from her throat as the black vacuum hugged her, yet she was not there, not truly there for she had no corporeal substance, no throat to scream with. She floated in the void. She waited.

Is this death? Is this death at last?

The answer came suddenly lashing out at her from the vacuum, a buffeting, sentient wind torn from previous silence so absolute that her mind screamed soundlessly in its churning teeth as it dragged her downwards into its gape. Fleeting images, a lifetime of colours loved and lost fled across her inner vision and dashed echoing before her to implode on her quailing consciousness like cold fat raindrops under an arid desert sun. She was helpless as the gale twisted her, turned her, spun her inside out, knitting reality and illusion together until finally spitting her retching with nausea, face-down upon a narrow stone ledge overhanging a pit of uttermost night.

* * *

Mir opened her eyes. Red light pulsed softly about her, bathing her in tender crimson yet beneath her body the rock was cold, hard, unforgiving. Anxious to quell the bruising ache gnawing at her limbs she pushed unsteadily to her feet while nausea still rocked her and a gasp of horror tore unbidden from her lips as groping for support one hand missed the ledge and clawed emptily at the gaping drop below, sending small stones skipping into the void.

The ledge was narrow indeed, leaving her with precious little room to stand on and yet somehow she managed, gazing about her in dry-mouthed awe as aided by the gently throbbing light she found herself poised at the very lip of the black-throated shaft whilst around and above her thrust countless stalactites and stalagmites flickered in the echoing cavern's light like a million frozen flames.

She had scant time to draw breath before the gale returned, this time howling upwards from the pit. Mir's hair whipped wildly about her face as the sheer strength of the wind flattened her against the cavern wall, forcing the air from her lungs and leaving her choking in a shower of dust and heat as liquid darkness welled up from the depths below.

A darkness that was Aku.

Half-paralysed by the heat that washed over her as the shapeshifter appeared, Mir tried to back away along the ledge only to find it crumbling beneath her boots, tapering away into nothing. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Through the familiar spikes of desire that shot through her frame and clouded her reasoning she dully realised that Aku had brought her there to serve some darker need than her own pathetic wants.

The shadowy form settled back downwards like a receding thunderhead. As its lower body disappeared sinuously back into the unfathomed recesses of the pit so the deep red glow of the cavern faded with it until the only source of light left came from the silently dancing flames that crowned the demon's head. As the black shoulders and horned head loomed above her the demon's eyes finally met the woman's and at once the fanged mouth curved upwards in a leer of malicious pleasure.

_**'Do you know why I have brought you here?'**_

His voice plucked at Mir physically, every syllable impacting on her flesh with the kiss of fire before tunnelling up beneath her ribs in coils of emptiness. A deep groan forced its way unbidden from behind her clenched teeth as she hunched over the pain with her arms wrapped tight to her stomach. Seeing this obvious misery Aku burst into gloating laughter and smothering under the weight of her own spell Mir's legs suddenly gave way, dropping her grovelling on hands and knees before her tormentor on the slender ledge.

Mastering his mood Aku ceased laughing and his voice became quite cold. _**'Truly woman, you are pathetic. Have you forgotten that you exist only to do my bidding?'**_

She couldn't answer. His every word stole the shapes on her tongue.

_**'Aku shall ask you again, have you forgotten that you exist only to do my bidding?'**_

'... please...'

In response the demon's hooked grin appeared again, _**'You do not have to answer. You are strong-willed yet my pretty, foolish toy and so you amuse me.'**_

As she watched through grit-filled eyes, his gaze swept away, moving slowly over the cavern walls as onegreat hand lifted slowly to his face and the tapering fingers twined themselves in his long reddish beard as though engaged in musing thought.

_**'Though perhaps, upon reflection, I find you too strong willed.'**_

Something in the demon's tone warned her of his intentions and she found herself suddenly scrabbling upright, fingers clawing desperately at the sheer rockface as the wide eyes turned back to her, the fires dancing brighter above them.

_**'Yes too strong willed indeed. Consider the people who hunt you, consider your own suffering, consider the Samurai...'**_ - here his voice fell to a hissing whisper and he bent over Mir like a venomous cloud as she shrank back against the cold cliff face.

'Aku, I beg you, please don't ...'

_**'Aku has have given you a gift and yet you choose to withhold it'**_

'Please don't ...'

**'**_**But you shall withhold it no longer.'**_

'Please.'

The plea died softly on Mir's lips as beneath her now tight-clenched eyes she felt him smile and the silence that followed was so terrible that against her will her eyes tore themselves open and she saw the shapeshifter reaching towards her and a black clawed finger touched her softly, eloquently, above the heart.

_**'You are mine. Utterley. Do not forget that you exist only for Aku's pleasure and to do his will.'**_

The demon withdrew his touch and the spot where his claw had rested like a catalyst blossomed instantly into avid darkness, a black flower unfurling cold inside her breast. In fear and misery Mir shuddered as icicles of frozen malice bore swiftly down into the very marrow of her being, giving life to the power she had so long held dormant.

Torn between razor sharp pains of desire and shame she turned her face to the wall, all the while feeling the rank darkness growing within her and the realisation of what would quell it. Now she was truly the work of Aku. Crimson roses burst from the barren rockface beneath her hands and feet, nudging against her, twining about wrist and ankle and thigh as the demon's face drew closer and his breath misted her skin with corruption.

It was like being stroked with knives.

_**'Give me the sword and I will love you.'**_

Black despair tore at Mir's fading consciousness as the void gaped below but the instant she opened her mouth to scream she felt rough hands hard on the back of her neck again as water flooded into her empty lungs.

* * *

'Seems a bit of a waste lookin' at it now don' it, friends.'

One of the small knot of men holding the struggling woman head down in the horse trough looked up at his companions slyly, his rough face split by a wide leer.

The closest grinned back, his single eye wide in mock innocence. 'Waste you say? 'Ow'd d'yer make that out then?'

The first speaker, the tow-haired man Mir had tried to warn could hardly take his eyes from the slender form held beneath him, his gaze raked ceaselessly at her body and swallowing thickly he shifted his grip on her neck before continuing husky-voiced.

'Well, way I look at it if we play this right we might stand to make a bit o' gold out of this one.'

His friend pushed back a hank of rain-soaked hair. 'How d'yer mean? Speak plain.'

The man struggled briefly with his victim as Mir's desperate struggles sent up a spray of dirty water from the trough. 'Well, way I sees it we could take 'er to Aku ourselves, after we've 'ad our way like. You 'eard what that bounty 'unter said.'

A third man, his face bisected by a badly healed scar spoke up angrily, 'You never lissen, Aku wants the swordsman he don't care nothin' about the likes o' this -' he slapped Mir hard on the rump to emphasise his disgust.

'Still seems a shame to waste 'er.',

'Waste 'er? She's a witch. She'll bewitch us all and 'sides we got orders from the Shaman. '

The one-eyed man, clearly tempted by the thought of making a profit from the woman spat at his wavering companion scornfully. 'Since when did the Shaman run the village an' since when did you start believing all that talk o' witches and curses? That's woman's talk. Yer goin' soft. She ain't cursed, she's just foreign, 'cause she don't look like our womenfolk they say she's a witch.'

'Well 'ow you gonna prove she ain't? We got orders!'

The one eyed man grimaced, his face pale in the ghostly lightning flicker. 'Shut up. We could take 'er to the slave market down he valley, fetch a right good price.'

'Not if she's babblin' on about Aku all the time she won't.'

A knife appeared in the rain, 'Then we'll stop 'er babblin' won't we?'

The blond man who had been staring at the woman with his face closed as if locked in concentration suddenly looked up, 'Damn yer both. Got a mind to 'ave 'er meself now. I needs a wife'

Ribald laughter exploded about the trough.

'Aye, an' what do I say to you after you've wed 'er an' she's stabbed yer in the gizzard an' stuck yer head up on a spike?'

The fairhaired man's lips split into a cruel sneer, 'She just wants tamin', I've broken wild 'orses, she'll be no diff'rent...' His voice trailed off suddenly as a powerful spasm shook the woman and a silvery bubble came slowly to the surface of the trough to burst with a sound like a sigh.

Each man was suddenly, curiously aware of the chill rain clinging to his skin and the wide vulnerable space about him in the dark.

The scarred man shivered. 'Don't be a fool. We gotta drown 'er. She's cursed! The Shaman told us, don't you feel it?' he clutched savagely at an amulet strung about his dirty throat, his fingers automatically coming up to make the sign against evil.

The blond man spat again, 'Aye an' who amongst us _who's a man_ believes what the old sow says. I've made me mind up friends, she's mine an' to hell with what the women say about it.'

The one-eyed man raised his voice in cruel mockery of Mir _'Oh Aku! Aku! What about Aku?'_

'Hah! Aku don't care about us, besides I reckon Aku is a just some dirty grubbin' shaman same as our old hag and demons is just a thing the 'igher ups use to try and keep the likes of me an' you down in our places.' He let go of Mir with one hand and prodded the scarred man firmly on the chest to help emphasise his words. 'Fact is fact my friend, _there ain't no such things as demons_.'

But scarcely had the words left his lips when from the depths of the trough came a flash of red light as the whole surface of the water began to bubble fiercely.

**end of # 6**


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